the University of New South Wales Affiliate Partners Astrobiology Society of Britain (ASB) Canadian Astrobiology Network (CAN) at Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration (CPSX), at the University of Western Ontario European Exo/Astrobiology Network Association (EANA) Helmholtz Alliance: Planetary Evolution and Life Instituto de Astrobiología Colombia (IAC) Japan AstroBiology Consortium (JABC), a partnership of the Earth-Life Science Institute and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences Nordic Network of Astrobiology Russian Astrobiology Center (RAC) Sociedad Mexicana de Astrobiología (SOMA) (SFE) UK Centre for Astrobiology at The University of Edinburgh University of São Paulo (USP) Research Selected, significant topics of interdisciplinary research by NAI as of 2008: Comets in space and in the laboratory Discovery of the "rare biosphere" Early habitability of Earth Early wet Mars Exoplanet discovery and analysis Life without the Sun Metal isotope tracers of environment and biology Methane on Mars Microbial mat ecology Modeling exoplanet biospheres Origins of life Snowball Earth Sub-seafloor life The rise of oxygen and Earth's "middle age" References Further reading Research institutes in California NASA programs Astrobiology