19th UK Planetary Forum Early Careers Meeting: Register Now!
We are delighted to announce that registration and abstract submission is now open for the 19th UK Planetary Forum Early Careers Meeting (ECM), which will be held on Friday 9th January 2026, hosted by the Centre for Planetary Sciences at UCL/Birkbeck, at the Birkbeck Clore Management Centre, in Bloomsbury, London. The UKPF ECM is designed to bring together early career researchers from across the UK for a day of networking and knowledge sharing. This event provides a supportive environment for early career scientists to present their research to peers and receive constructive feedback,...
Read MoreASB10 Conference 2025: A Success!
The Astrobiology Society of Britain’s 10th conference, ASB10, was a great success! Held at the University of St Andrews from 17–18 June 2025, with optional excursions on the 19th, the event brought together astrobiologists from across the UK and around the world. Under the theme “Planets and Life”, delegates shared research spanning prebiotic chemistry, planetary exploration, biosignatures, and the search for habitable environments beyond Earth. Talks, posters, and lively discussions made for a vibrant and engaging programme, with fantastic contributions from early-career and established...
Read MoreWinner Announced: UKCA’s Essay Competition
The UKCA Harding Essay Competition presents this year’s theme: ICE, ICE, MAYBE? Life in the Cold Universe The UK Centre for Astrobiology at the University of Edinburgh is pleased to announce that Ruby Allen-Brown is this year’s winner! Read her essay below: Astrobiology’s Blind Spot: Does Starless Necessarily Mean Lifeless? Traditionally, the habitable zone was a pivotal tool astrobiologists used to determine an exoplanet’s habitability: a conditional region encircling a star in which the temperature allows for liquid water to exist long-term on a planet’s surface. Accordingly,...
Read MoreThe Tartan Tardigrade Podcast
Listen to the podcast brought to you by the UK Centre for Astrobiology – The Tartan Tardigrade. The Tartan Tardigrade is a podcast, hosted by our Membership & Website Officer – Mia Belle Frothingham, where she interviews astrobiologists and other scientists from around the world who visit the University of Edinburgh. The chats are about their research and interest in astrobiology, their careers, and what they think about life beyond Earth. Available on Media Hopper, Apple podcasts, and Spotify.
Read MoreCelebrating Women in Planetary Geology: From Orkney & Iceland to Mars
Join us for a fascinating discussion chaired by Dr Catriona McAra (University of Aberdeen) between artist Ilana Halperin and our chair, Dr Claire Cousins (University of St Andrews). This event spotlighted the vital contributions of women to planetary geology. Ilana and Claire shared insights from their recent field trips to Orkney and Iceland, where they sought local geological ‘kin’ to creatively interpret the rock formations of distant Mars. It was a unique opportunity to explore the intersection of art and science in understanding our planetary neighbours!
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