What is planetary biology and how does this science fit into the overall thinking about life on worlds – including Earth and others?

Planetary biology is a whole world systems science. That is, the fundamental operational unit is the whole planet. Planetary biology is an integrated science that draws upon several useful sciences. The planetary biology perspective supports our efforts to understand how the activities of life (enterprising objects*) interact with and influence the operations and characteristics of the whole planet. For example, how can the collective activities of enterprising objects influence a planet's atmosphere?

The diagram at left shows the arrangement of various scientific disciplines that are useful in planetary biology. Out of necessity, it uses Earth as the basic organizational template. Given that life on Earth churns the surface, the oceans and the atmosphere in a variety of chemical ways, and produces many interesting chemical results, this diagram prominently includes chemistry-related disciplines. We see on our planet that the chemistry of life (biochemistry) can powerfully exploit the chemistry of the physical planet (geochemistry) to produce remarkable environmental outcomes (biogeochemistry).

Planetary biology incorporates ecological principles along with biogeochemistry in an effort to understand the sensible organizational structure and dynamics of a planet's enterprising occupants. Ultimately, this synthesis provides a useful analytical framework toward understanding the collective, long-term consequences of a world’s global biogeochemical activities.

The continuing discoveries of exoplanets (exoplanet astronomy) provide exciting new platforms upon which to contemplate possibilities for life in the galaxy. The application of the principles of planetary biology onto these new worlds yields the hopeful science of astrobiology – giving wings of substance and reason to our spirited quest to better know our universe and ourselves.

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