David C. Catling Research Group

University of Washington

How do planetary surfaces and atmospheres co-evolve to create and sustain habitable conditions on worlds like Earth and Mars? The group analyzes spacecraft data from Mars missions to study planetary surfaces and atmospheric processes relevant to habitability. Researchers model the coupled evolution of planetary surfaces, atmospheres, climate, and biogeochemical cycles to explain Earth's atmospheric oxygenation and life's co-evolution. The group participates in the Virtual Planetary Lab to evaluate planetary habitability using comparative planet and exoplanet frameworks and modelling methods. They investigate origins-of-life questions through projects in the Simons Collaboration on the Origin of Life combining theory and planetary context.