In the Microbiology of the Deep (MOD) Lab we wear many hats. We incorporate elements of microbial ecology, astrobiology, geobiology, oceanography, and geochemistry to ask questions about the microbial role in Earth-life interactions, such as: Who are they key players in global biogeochemical cycles of elements essential to life (e.g. carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur)? Do their roles or rates of activity differ in the past or between modern environments? We are ultimately interested in applying the tools of these disciplines to understand life at its margins. We strive to find scientific evidence for what are often considered philosophical questions of “What does it mean to be alive?” and “When does life start or cease to exist?”

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