Personal tools
Log in
You are here: Home Research Activities Sun and Solar System The Planets and minor bodies in the Solar System and other stellar systems Recent projects and on-going activity in the study of planets and minor bodies Extrasolar planets. Bioastronomy: research into primordial life and intelligence in extrasolar planets.

Extrasolar planets. Bioastronomy: research into primordial life and intelligence in extrasolar planets.

Bioastronomy is a new milt-disciplinary science that studies the origin, evolution and spread of life in the Universe. It is differentiated from astrobiology in that the research is carried out principally by means of astronomical observations from the Earth and space, and also includes the SETI project (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence). To determine with certainty that we are not alone in this Universe there are two possibilities within ourtechnological grasp: spectroscopically search with telescopes for planets beyond the solar system having habitable atmospheres, and listen with the largest radio telescopes for signals from space that can be classified as intelligent (SETI project). Following the Italian discovery of water maser emission during the impact of comet Shoemaker/Levy 9 with Jupiter, the ITASEL project was born (Italian Search for Extraterrestrial Life), with the mainaim of searching for pre-biotic molecules in extrasolar planets and comets. The results obtained so far show weak signals from 5 stellar systems, but need to be confirmed as they are not constant in time.

MeerKAT+: the MeerKAT Extension

Feb 21, 2024

MeerKAT+: the MeerKAT Extension The handover of the first dish of the MeerKAT extension signals an important milestone for the SKA-MID construction

The first discoveries of the Webb space telescope in Rome: public lecture on 29 February

Feb 21, 2024

The first discoveries of the Webb space telescope in Rome: public lecture on 29 February On Thursday 29 February at 6 pm, Prof. Roberto Maiolino of the University of Cambridge (UK) will hold a public lecture on the theme "The invisible Universe revealed by the James Webb Space Telescope" at the Department of Physics of Sapienza University of Rome

The AGILE satellite re-entered the atmosphere

Feb 14, 2024

The AGILE satellite re-entered the atmosphere After 17 years of thriving operations, the AGILE Italian scientific satellite re-entered the atmosphere, thus ending its intense activity as a hunter of some of the most energetic cosmic sources in the Universe that emit gamma and X-rays