CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen discusses with NASA astronaut Mike Gernhardt in Pavillion Lake, BC

2009-08-31 - NASA astronaut, Mike Gernhardt and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen discuss the morning's science operations at Pavillion Lake, BC where Hansen received training. Located 420 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, Pavilion Lake is one of the few places on Earth where microbialites are found. Microbialites are carbonate rock formations that look like coral, and are thought to be produced by primitive bacteria. These ancient structures were common from 2.5 billion to 540 million years ago, and are one of the earliest remnants of life on Earth. Today, microbialites are found in environments where conditions are often too harsh for most forms of life. Scientists study Pavilion Lake's microbialites to investigate how these ancient structures were formed, what determines their size and varied shapes, and especially whether or not they were produced by microorganisms. Understanding how the microbialites in Pavilion Lake formed might also make it easier to identify potential forms of extraterrestrial life on future missions to Mars. (Credit: Ben Cowie)