The 4th Earth–Life Science Institute International Symposium
Three Experiments in Biological Origins: Early Earth, Venus and Mars

When: January 12 – January 16, 2016
Where: Kuramae Hall, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
URL: http://bit.ly/ELSI2016

In the Solar System, Earth has alone managed to generate and maintain a large active biosphere whose existence greatly altered the subsequent chemical and physical evolution of the planet.  Whether its nearest neighbours, Venus and Mars, were temporarily able to do this as well, or were never in a position to accommodate a biosphere of any
kind, is largely unknown.

Recently, substantial progress has been made in forming a coherent picture of the early Solar System and planetary formation processes. Also improved is our understanding of the environmental conditions on young planets. Investigation of initial sets of prebiotic chemical
systems has also shed new light on the origin and early evolution of life. Now is the time for all this knowledge to coalesce around the concept of the planetary requisite for prebiotic chemical evolution and origination of life.

To crystallise this knowledge is the goal of this symposium. In it we will summarize the formation and early environment of Venus, the Earth and Mars and place them into context relative to each other, and to a lesser degree to other planets and exoplanets. We aim to determine what conditions on Earth were favourable for the onset of chemical cycles that
eventually led to a thriving biosphere, and whether our neighbours may have once harboured such conditions. Why did Earth succeed where the others failed?

For declarations of interest, poster contributions, or further information contact: [email protected]