Research Strategy

Strategy of ELSI

Exploring the Origins of the Earth-Life System...

ELSI's aim is to answer the fundamental question that has long captured humanity's imagination: when and where did life originate, and how did it evolve? Until recently, discussions about the origin and evolution of life have mainly been limited to the biochemistry of proto-life forms. We at ELSI will broaden the discussion to focus equally on the relationship between Earth and Life. Life is a phenomenon that is sustained through the exchange of energies and matters with the surrounding environment, thus the origin of life question cannot be separated from the study of the origin and evolution of the Earth.

...and Life in the Universe

By elucidating the origins of life in the context of the Earth, we will learn about both the unique and universal aspects of our planet that allowed life to emerge and evolve. Our research will therefore shed light upon the possibility and characteristics of life elsewhere.