Conference announcement:
Registration, abstract submission and accommodation booking is now open for the Biennial European Astrobiology Conference (BEACON) at La Palma & Teneguia Princess Hotel on La Palma Island (Canary Islands, Spain) from 20-24 April 2020.
Scientific sessions are planned covering the following themes:
- Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems and Detection of Habitable Worlds
- The Pathway to Complexity: From Simple Molecules to First Life
- Planetary Environments and Habitability
- Evolution and Traces of Early Life and Life under Extreme Condition
- Biosignatures and the Detection of Life beyond Earth
- Historical, Philosophical, Societal and Ethical Issues in Astrobiology
- Tracing Life and Identifying Habitable Environments
- Impacts and their Role in the Evolution of Planets, Moons and Life
- Protoplanetary disks and their physical and chemical processes
- Mars Sample Return missions
The meeting will be open to all interested scientists and students from Europe and beyond.
La Palma offers a multitude of relevant research infrastructures (telescopes) and locations (active volcanoes, recent lava fields, Mars-analogue landscapes). During the conference excursion (Friday 25th April) many of these will be visited. A field trip to other astrobiologically interesting field sites on other islands will be organised after the conference as well as an optional after conference walk (Saturday 26 April) along the Volcano route (Ruta de los Volcanes) spanning several active volcanoes above 1600m altitude will be offered. Also outreach events for the general public will be held.
The venue offers 4-star accommodation at very good prices (e.g. less than EUR 70 per person/day for full board in single room). Also registration is free for students and societies of participating entities in the EAI and cheap for those from other institutions.
Furthermore: A satellite meeting of AbGradE (in cooperation with EPEC, the early career network of Europlanet) will be organised from 17-19 April 2010!
Information about the meeting can be found here: www.europeanastrobiology.eu/BEACON2020
