About

John Baross is an Emeritus Professor in Oceanography and a member of the Astrobiology Program at the University of Washington. His research specializes in the ecology, physiology, and taxonomy of microorganisms from hydrothermal vent environments. He employs biochemical and molecular methods to detect, quantify, and classify microorganisms, with particular interests in microbial ecology of extreme environments, biotechnological applications of microorganisms that grow in such environments, and the significance of submarine hydrothermal vent environments for the origin and evolution of life. His work includes a focus on the novel environments and microbes present at Lost City hydrothermal vents, which offer potential for new discoveries and insights into life in extreme environments. Baross's research contributes to understanding the microbial ecology of extreme environments and the role of hydrothermal vents in the origin and evolution of life, with implications for astrobiology.

Research topics

• Engineering
• Aeronautics
• Astrobiology
• Biology
• Engineering ethics
• Aerospace engineering
• Geochemistry
• Oceanography
• Geology
• Earth science
• Paleontology
• Chemistry
• Environmental chemistry
• Ecology

Selected publications

• Diversity of magmatism, hydrothermal processes and microbial interactions at mid-ocean ridges

  Nature Reviews Earth & Environment · 2022 · 87 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Earth science
  • Geology
  • Geochemistry
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• On the Past, Present, and Future Role of Biology in NASA’s Exploration of our Solar System

  Bulletin of the AAS · 2021 · 1 citations

  • Astrobiology
  • Engineering ethics
  • Aeronautics

  Here we provide a brief perspective on the role of biology in NASA’s planetary science goals, and its spacecraft missions, past, present, and future. We argue that while biology - via astrobiology - generates much interest and excitement for NASA, biology is vastly under-represented as a science within NASA Planetary Science Division missions.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• 岩石と熱水によるアミノ酸合成

  Nature Digest · 2019-02-26

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• De las rocas a las biomeléculas

  Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · 2019-01-01

  article1st authorCorresponding
  Publisher

• Preface

  Cambridge University Press eBooks · 2018-06-01

  book-chapterSenior author

  Astrobiology involves the study of the origin and history of life on Earth, planets and moons where life may have arisen, and the search for extraterrestrial life. It combines the sciences of biology, chemistry, palaeontology, geology, planetary physics and astronomy. This textbook brings together world experts in each of these disciplines to provide the most comprehensive coverage of the field currently available. Topics cover the origin and evolution of life on Earth, the geological, physical and chemical conditions in which life might arise and the detection of extraterrestrial life on other planets and moons. The book also covers the history of our ideas on extraterrestrial life and the origin of life, as well as the ethical, philosophical and educational issues raised by astrobiology. Written to be accessible to students from diverse backgrounds, this text will be welcomed by advanced undergraduates and graduates who are taking astrobiology courses.

  PublisherDOI

• Planetary properties

  2018-06-01

  otherSenior author

  Astrobiology involves the study of the origin and history of life on Earth, planets and moons where life may have arisen, and the search for extraterrestrial life. It combines the sciences of biology, chemistry, palaeontology, geology, planetary physics and astronomy. This textbook brings together world experts in each of these disciplines to provide the most comprehensive coverage of the field currently available. Topics cover the origin and evolution of life on Earth, the geological, physical and chemical conditions in which life might arise and the detection of extraterrestrial life on other planets and moons. The book also covers the history of our ideas on extraterrestrial life and the origin of life, as well as the ethical, philosophical and educational issues raised by astrobiology. Written to be accessible to students from diverse backgrounds, this text will be welcomed by advanced undergraduates and graduates who are taking astrobiology courses.

  PublisherDOI

• Units and usages

  2018-06-01

  otherSenior author

  Astrobiology involves the study of the origin and history of life on Earth, planets and moons where life may have arisen, and the search for extraterrestrial life. It combines the sciences of biology, chemistry, palaeontology, geology, planetary physics and astronomy. This textbook brings together world experts in each of these disciplines to provide the most comprehensive coverage of the field currently available. Topics cover the origin and evolution of life on Earth, the geological, physical and chemical conditions in which life might arise and the detection of extraterrestrial life on other planets and moons. The book also covers the history of our ideas on extraterrestrial life and the origin of life, as well as the ethical, philosophical and educational issues raised by astrobiology. Written to be accessible to students from diverse backgrounds, this text will be welcomed by advanced undergraduates and graduates who are taking astrobiology courses.

  PublisherDOI

• Evolution: a defining feature of life

  Cambridge University Press eBooks · 2018-06-01 · 3 citations

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding

  Astrobiology involves the study of the origin and history of life on Earth, planets and moons where life may have arisen, and the search for extraterrestrial life. It combines the sciences of biology, chemistry, palaeontology, geology, planetary physics and astronomy. This textbook brings together world experts in each of these disciplines to provide the most comprehensive coverage of the field currently available. Topics cover the origin and evolution of life on Earth, the geological, physical and chemical conditions in which life might arise and the detection of extraterrestrial life on other planets and moons. The book also covers the history of our ideas on extraterrestrial life and the origin of life, as well as the ethical, philosophical and educational issues raised by astrobiology. Written to be accessible to students from diverse backgrounds, this text will be welcomed by advanced undergraduates and graduates who are taking astrobiology courses.

  PublisherDOI

• Isolation and Cultivation of Hyperthermophilic Bacteria from Marine and Freshwater Habitats

  2018-05-02 · 4 citations

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding

  Culture conditions for specific hyperthermophilic organisms must reflect the physical and geochemical characteristics of their habitat. Analyses of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) nucleotide sequences, unusual cell wall chemical composition, and presence of ether membrane lipids from representative species of hyperthermophiles have shown that most isolates cluster together in a group distinct from all other bacteria and eukaryotes. Water bath, incubator, or heating block: no special equipment is necessary for routine incubation of hyperthermophiles up to temperatures of 110°C and 500 kPa. Most strains of anaerobic hyperthermophiles are stable for at least a short time in the presence of oxygen as long as they are held at temperatures below their minimum for growth. Most of the neutrophilic, anaerobic, heterotrophic hyperthermophiles can grow on media containing various hydrolyzed protein preparations, such as peptones and trypticase soy, and yeast extract supplemented with trace minerals and elemental sulfur.

  PublisherDOI

• Prologue

  2018-06-01

  otherSenior author

  Astrobiology involves the study of the origin and history of life on Earth, planets and moons where life may have arisen, and the search for extraterrestrial life. It combines the sciences of biology, chemistry, palaeontology, geology, planetary physics and astronomy. This textbook brings together world experts in each of these disciplines to provide the most comprehensive coverage of the field currently available. Topics cover the origin and evolution of life on Earth, the geological, physical and chemical conditions in which life might arise and the detection of extraterrestrial life on other planets and moons. The book also covers the history of our ideas on extraterrestrial life and the origin of life, as well as the ethical, philosophical and educational issues raised by astrobiology. Written to be accessible to students from diverse backgrounds, this text will be welcomed by advanced undergraduates and graduates who are taking astrobiology courses.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Marvin D. Lilley

  University of Washington

  66 shared

• Deborah S. Kelley

  57 shared

• William J. Brazelton

  University of Utah

  51 shared

• D. A. Butterfield

  University of Washington

  43 shared

• Matthew O. Schrenk

  Michigan State University

  43 shared

• Gretchen L. Früh‐Green

  ETH Zurich

  40 shared

• Alexander S. Bradley

  37 shared

• D. Yoerger

  Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

  37 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Astronomy

  University of California, Los Angeles

  1981

• M.S., Astronomy

  University of California, Los Angeles

  1976

• B.S., Physics

  University of California, Los Angeles

  1974