October 16, 2015

NASA Astrobiology Debates Western Championship to be live-streamed Oct. 18

If we discover life beyond Earth — even just microbes — should we protect it at all costs?

This is the topic of the NASA Astrobiology Debates, where elite college teams from across the country grapple with ethical, political and scientific questions stemming from the topic chosen for the year.

Specifically, this year’s debate topic is: “Resolved: An overriding ethical obligation to protect and preserve extraterrestrial microbial life and ecosystems should be incorporated into international law.”

The debates are overseen by the NASA Astrobiology Program and The George Washington University. The Western Championship round of the debates will be Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 17 and 18, at the University of Washington, and will be live-streamed for the astrobiology and space sciences community and the public.

The championship round live-streaming is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on Sunday, Oct. 18, with the event beginning at 2 p.m.. Learn more and watch online.