Donald E. Brownlee | |
|---|---|
| Born | Donald Eugene Brownlee December 21, 1943 |
| Alma mater | University of California, Berkeley |
| Known for | co-originator of the term Rare Earth |
| Awards | J. Lawrence Smith Medal, Leonard Medal, NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astrobiology, Astronomy |
| Institutions | University of Washington at Seattle |
Donald Eugene Brownlee (born December 21, 1943) is a professor of astronomy at the University of Washington at Seattle and the principal investigator for NASA's Stardust mission.[1] In 2000, along with his co-author Peter Ward, he co-originated the term Rare Earth, in reference to the possible scarcity of life elsewhere in the universe.[2] His primary research interests include astrobiology, comets, and cosmic dust.[3] He was born in Las Vegas, Nevada.[4]
Origins: The term "Rare Earth" takes its name from the book Rare Earth: Why Complex Life Is Uncommon in the Universe (2000), by Peter Ward and Donald E. Brownlee ... As the authors describe it, the Rare Earth argument comes down to two central hypotheses ... making Earth a very special place