Is there life in space? What does that mean exactly, to search for life in space? We know of only one planet on which life has developed. Accordingly, researchers initially assume that life on other planets requires conditions similar to those on Earth: Liquid water, carbon compounds and an energetic non-equilibrium, such as occurs in biological cells.
Dr. Alexander Ruf from the Cluster of Excellence ORIGINS talks about how modern astrochemistry helps to better understand the evolution of organic matter and how this brings us closer to the question of whether life on Earth is unique or not.