We are glad to invite you to the next Rome Joint Astrophysics Colloquium (JAC) on Wednesday the December, 6th at 14:30 CET. 

 

Join in person in room IB09 at the IAPS-INAF, in the Area di ricerca di Tor Vergata, ArToV, or online with the Zoom App at link: https://rebrand.ly/JAC-Balucani.  After the seminar, we will meet for a short coffee break for people attending in presence.

The Rome JAC is a joint initiative of the Physics Dept. of the Tor Vergata University of Rome, INAF - Astronomical Observatory of Rome, and INAF - Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology.

TITLE: Prebiotic chemistry in space: how, where and when

SPEAKER: Prof. Nadia Balucani (University of Perugia)

ABSTRACT: Life relies on reduced compounds of carbon. The percentage of carbon on Earth is quite small compared to the average percentage of carbon in our Galaxy, and most of it is trapped in carbonate rocks and carbon oxides. What has the evolution of carbon on Earth been, and why is Earth so depleted in carbon? How did life originate in an oxidizing environment like that of primordial Earth? Reduced organic compounds with some prebiotic potential appear to be abundant in many small bodies of the Solar System (asteroids, comets, meteorites, and even interplanetary dust). How were these organic compounds formed? Could these compounds have triggered life on Earth? In this seminar I will present the point of view of a chemist, showing you the results of the recent research which ranges from the chemistry of the interstellar medium to the chemistry of planetary atmospheres and cometary comae.

 

Poster of the event is available at: https://rebrand.ly/JAC-Balucani-Poster