Just delivered a talk on Astrobiology in the Age of Social Media: The ‘science of the unknown’ and the sociocultural dimension of transformative ideas to the participants of Habitability in the Universe: From the Early Earth to Exoplanets conference in Porto, Portugal.

It’s a priviledge to be here. This conference is the first Conference and WGPP (Working Group and Project Planning) meeting of the TD1308 COST action ORIGINS.

According to the website, this European action gather 30 countries and 150 scientists working in astrophysics, astrochemistry, planetology, geochemistry, biology, paleontology, space science, engineering, philosophy and history of science. And, if I may add, also in anthropology or social studies of science.

The action addresses three basic questions that fascinate scientists and the general public:

1. Where, when and how did life emerge and evolve on Earth?
2. What are the conditions under which life can exist?
3. Does life exist elsewhere in the Universe and, if it does, how can it be detected and identified?The action has specifically excluded the search for intelligent extraterrestrial life in its portfolio