Episode 109: The Origins of Life
Betul Kacar is an astrobiologist at the UA who is interested in the origins of life. Betul’s lab investigates key questions regarding molecular mechanisms of evolution and the distribution of life throughout the universe. At the lab, Betul travels backwards in evolutionary time combining computational and experimental tools and follows the evolutionary history of DNA to unravel how harsh conditions of our ancient planet shaped life to be the way it is today. The process of how she does this work makes for a fascinating discussion and offers insights into the intense research taking place at the University of Arizona. In this episode: Betul Kacar, Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology; Tim Swindle, Ph.D., Director and Head of the UA’s Lunar and Planetary Lab