Physics and Astronomy Colloquium: Dr. Ligia Coelho, Cornell University

 

We cannot predict life, especially given the vast diversity within Earth's biosphere. Biopigments are wide-spread biomolecules with distinct spectral fingerprints serving as powerful surface biosignatures. However, current surface models focus primarily on chlorophyll-dominated green landscapes, overlooking Earth’s broader biodiversity and variations on exoplanets orbiting different stars. My research combines Earth’s evolutionary and biological diversity with astrophysical tools to identify life-detection patterns and build high-fidelity reference models for planetary observations. This involves molecular and chemical analyses of environments, reflectance spectroscopy of biosignatures in situ, remotely, and under lab conditions, and planetary modeling using reference data. By cataloging biosignatures, I aim to support exoplanet research with next-generation telescopes like the Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs) and the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) that will search for other planets where surface colors such as orange, yellow, or purple may be the new green.