Ask an Astrobiologist: Unlocking the Secret Life of Viruses with Dr. Gary Trubl

Viruses – are they alive? What can they tell us about the search for life?

We’ll be answering these questions & more on April 26 at 1pm ET. Set a reminder to join our next episode of #AskAstrobio with Dr. Gary Trubl to learn about viruses & microbiology:

NASA’s Ask an Astrobiologist is back with a new look, a new sound, and a brand new lineup of amazing astrobiologists! Tune-in Wednesday, April 26, 2023 to get the answers to your questions about the search for life in the Universe.

Our guest is Dr. Gareth (Gary) Trubl, a microbiologist and research staff scientist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the Biosciences and Biotechnology Division. Gary has characterized viruses in Arctic permafrost and subzero soils, and uses multiple approaches in metagenomics to better understand the mechanisms viruses use to control microbial physiology and quantify nutrient exchanges in soils. Are viruses alive? And what can they tell us about the search for life in the Universe?