Lynn J. Rothschild

Lynn Justine Rothschild (born May 11, 1957) is an evolutionary biologist, astrobiologist and synthetic biologist at NASA's Ames Research Center, and is an adjunct professor at Brown University. She is an adjunct professor at Stanford University, where she teaches Astrobiology and Space Exploration. At Ames, her research has focused on how life, particularly microbes, has evolved in the context of the physical environment, both on Earth and potentially beyond our planet's boundaries. Her research also explores the use of synthetic biology as an enabling tool for space travel.

Rothschild graduated from Yale University in 1978 and earned a Ph.D. from Brown University in 1985. She lived in Riverdale until the age of eight, after which her family moved to Greenwich, Connecticut. In 2024, Rothschild was awarded a Phase III NIAC grant for her Mycotecture Off Planet project.

Rothschild served as a faculty advisor for several Brown-Stanford teams competing in the international synthetic biology competition, iGEM. Notable projects she superviesed include:

Synthetic biology for Mars Exploration (2011) Synthetic biology for astrobiology, including biomining (2012) Synthetic biocommunication (2013) Towards a Biodegradable UAS (2014), advised for the Stanford-Brown-Spelman iGEM team BiOrigami (2015) BioBalloon (2016) Mars: getting there and staying there (2017) Myco for Mars (2018), advised for the Stanford-Brown-RISD iGEM team

Ultraviolet radiation research Rothschild has explored the impact of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on life, both on Earth and potentially on other planetary bodies. She suggests that UV radiation may have been critical in the evolution of the first eukaryotic cells and in the origin of sexual reproduction. One of her studies focused on carbon fixation in microbial mats located in evaporation ponds of the Ojo de Liebre Lagoon in Baja California, Mexico. The same year she also received the American Humanist Association's Isaac Asimov Science Award.

Rothschild has been elected as a fellow to several organizations, including the Linnean Society of London, the California Academy of Sciences and the Explorer's Club. and TEDxSantaCruz titled "Life as we (now) know it."

In addition, Rothschild has appeared as a scientific expert in many films:

Season one, episode four of "Expedition Deep Ocean" called "Pacific Ocean: World's Deepest" in 2021 The fifth episode of the Youtube Original "The Age of A.I." in the episode called "How A.I. is searching for Aliens," released on January 15, 2020. She is credited as "Evolutionary and Synthetic Biology, NASA". Season forty six, episode twelve of "Nova" called "The Planets: Inner Worlds" in 2019 Season one, episode four of "Living Universe" called "Contact" in 2018 Season one, episode three of "Space's Deepest Secrets" called "Death of the Solar System" in 2016 The movie "Do We Really Need the Moon?" released in 2011 Season one, episode four of "Prophets of Science Fiction" called "Arthur C. Clarke" in 2011 The first episode of the National Geographic series "Extreme Universe" called "Is Anyone Out There?" in 2010 Season one, episode six of the Morgan Freeman narrated episode "Are We Alone" of the series "Through the Wormhole" in 2010 Season six, episode five of "Naked Science" called "Death of the Earth" in 2009 Season forty five, episode eight of "Horizon" called "Are We Alone in the Universe?" in 2008 Season three, episode five of "The Universe" called "Alien Faces" in 2008 Season five, episode four of "Naked Science" called "Birth of Life" in 2008 The movie "If We Had No Moon" released in 1999