Betül Kaçar: What ancient DNA can tell us about life on Earth… and beyond | The InnerView

Betül Kaçar says DNA holds the key to unraveling the fundamental attributes of life itself. She tells Imran Garda that by understanding it, we can reshape our perceptions of habitable worlds and explore the possibility of life beyond our planet. Born in Istanbul, Kaçar is a Nasa-supported astrobiology professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She joins The InnerView to share insights into her research on early life and its origins and to explain why young scientists should pursue a career in the fascinating field of astrobiology. 00:00 A DNA detective 01:34 Question from Imran's daughter 02:04 What does an astrobiologist do? 03:59 Microorganisms and bacteria 05:10 How can exploring Mars help us understand the origins of life? 06:25 Resurrecting ancient DNA 08:00 Being a DNA "archaeologist" 11:51 The most illuminating moment Betül experienced in the lab 12:56 "Earth is my favourite planet” 15:12 Panspermia and space colonization 17:02 Is astrobiology a good career? 18:51 Young Betül's dream 19:48 Adjusting to life in the US 20:53 Representing Türkiye 23:02 Asteroid 284919 Kaçar 24:06 Where is Betül's work headed Subscribe: http://trt.world/subscribe Livestream: http://trt.world/ytlive Facebook: http://trt.world/facebook Twitter: http://trt.world/twitter Instagram: http://trt.world/instagram Visit our website: http://trt.world