Carbon
Humanity’s two greatest frontiers—our oceans and outer space—share a molecular challenge: carbon dioxide (CO₂).
Most of Earth’s CO₂ is naturally absorbed by the ocean, but changes in atmospheric composition are altering marine chemistry in ways that impact vital ecosystems and the economies that depend on them. Meanwhile, Mars—our next destination for human exploration—is dominated by a CO₂-rich atmosphere. Even in Earth-orbit, CO₂ buildup inside spacecraft poses risks to astronaut health, including headaches and more serious physiological effects.
To support life both on this planet and beyond, we need new biological strategies for managing and reprocessing CO₂.
The Two Frontiers Project is investigating extreme, carbon-rich environments on Earth to uncover microorganisms that have evolved natural mechanisms for CO₂ processing. These microbes may hold the key to developing next-generation technologies for closed-loop life support systems and ecosystem stabilization.
