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Astrobiology Should I major in it?

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SmotSmoke
Posts: 599 - Karma: 2,728
I have always found an interest in the stars and outerspace and I find biology interesting so Im in consideration of majoring in astro biology. What do the homies think?
Feb 25 2013 6:47PM
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accualyisdolan
Posts: 3295 - Karma: -192
Astrobiology is a major? Seems like a subset of astrophysics
Feb 25 2013 6:49PM
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midwestpowhunter
Posts: 2198 - Karma: 189
what a bad ass major! how is there enough info to major in that subject or even design a program around something that is so obscure.
Feb 25 2013 6:51PM
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Wall_Nut
Posts: 629 - Karma: 113
I think if you have to ask a community with a median age of 15, you are bound to fail. More than anything else in your coming college career, the key to success will be THINKING FOR YOURSELF.
Feb 25 2013 6:53PM
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Wall_Nut
Posts: 629 - Karma: 113
Also, unless Daddy owns a business to fall back on, I would look into what career opportunities there are in the field, their relative competition for placement, and salaries.
Feb 25 2013 6:54PM
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proZach
Posts: 7163 - Karma: 917
Is that the study of aliens? What the fuck
Feb 25 2013 6:55PM
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El_Barto.
Posts: 11630 - Karma: 24,464
You seem more like a Womens Studies major to me
Feb 25 2013 6:56PM
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Miomo
Posts: 4302 - Karma: 14,131
Major in biology with minor in astronomy?
Seems like it'd be much more useful.
Or if you prefer astronomy, do it the other way around.
Feb 25 2013 6:59PM
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klayer_9
Posts: 2037 - Karma: 188
YES. I think that is an awesome major. This is really the first time in human history when we can actually begin to study the age old question "are we alone?" The next few decades are when discoveries are likely to occur, so now would be a good time to start studying in the field.

I know NASA wants to send probes to check the moons of Jupiter for life, plus the extraordinary amount of exo-planets discovered in the last two years holds lots of possibilities for life.

I am studying Climatology and I find it incredibly interesting. Science is really rewarding to study if you have an interest in it.

plus, Carl Sagan would want you to do it.
Feb 25 2013 7:03PM
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GEORGEzimmerman
Posts: 1473 - Karma: 439
great major. its time to find life, astrobiologists will be the first ones officials go to when we find or decide to try and find ET life. plus u will know all the governments secrets about aliens
Feb 25 2013 7:09PM
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artfullydodged
Posts: 8358 - Karma: 1,674
Can we hang out and take mushrooms after you learn all about astrobiology?
Feb 25 2013 7:11PM
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icon1234
Posts: 3081 - Karma: 1,475
Coming from an actual bio major that sounds like the most stupid major in the world. Just look at the root words, astro= space, biology= study of life.... Do you see the problem, as of now no life has been found in space, so your entire major is theory. Sounds like a pseudoscience imo.
Feb 25 2013 7:17PM
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SmotSmoke
Posts: 599 - Karma: 2,728
you can be looking for habitable planets. There was this chick on nova and she was an astrobiologist. you need to know where life would be hiding to be able to find life.
Feb 25 2013 7:22PM
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newnewschool
Posts: 400 - Karma: 439
same thing.
Feb 25 2013 7:23PM
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SmotSmoke
Posts: 599 - Karma: 2,728
you can be looking for habitable planets. There was this chick on nova and she was an astrobiologist. you need to know where life would be hiding to be able to find life.
Feb 25 2013 7:24PM
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Heart
Posts: 6156 - Karma: 3,462
Yeah definitely make sure there are real life applications for your major. You don't want to be working in mcdonalds five years after graduating.
Feb 25 2013 7:25PM
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icon1234
Posts: 3081 - Karma: 1,475
I just feel like it is a pretty worthless major unless you get a PHD and then become a professor at a university or work for NASA. Like literally those are the only two job opportunities I can think of.
Feb 25 2013 8:08PM
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El_Barto.
Posts: 11630 - Karma: 24,464
space pimp?
Feb 25 2013 8:09PM
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feihlination
Posts: 8356 - Karma: 1,084
so astrophysics (where literally every theory makes a few assumptions which are impossible to prove) is also a pseudoscience?

if you go so far, half of "sciences" are pseudosciences
Feb 25 2013 8:11PM
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Stickity
Posts: 7750 - Karma: 769
do you get to make up the subject matter?
Feb 25 2013 8:15PM
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bermbuster49
Posts: 7445 - Karma: 90
dude you'll get so many jobs


...o wait
Feb 25 2013 8:20PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51296 - Karma: 157,981
Idk, should you?


How the fuck am I supposed to know what you're supposed to major in. Do what feels right for you. Idk you, idk anything about you, hell I don't even really know anything about the subject. I know you're reaching out because you're uncertain and that's fine, but uncertainty is a part of life. You just have to weigh the options and do what you think is best, nobody can really help you on this one.

Good luck and hope you enjoy whatever you choose.
Feb 25 2013 8:23PM
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Stickity
Posts: 7750 - Karma: 769
stop being a dumbass
Feb 25 2013 8:24PM
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klayer_9
Posts: 2037 - Karma: 188
I really hate everyone on this site. I'm leaving.
Feb 25 2013 8:25PM
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SmotSmoke
Posts: 599 - Karma: 2,728
Word up man. Totally Know what you mean.
Feb 25 2013 8:29PM
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icon1234
Posts: 3081 - Karma: 1,475
Not gonna take your post seriously.. But if you can't see the difference between a major that is based on a scavenger hunt in space for life, and a major that tries to explain mathematically the laws that govern our universe then you need some help.
Feb 25 2013 8:30PM
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Wompuscat
Posts: 818 - Karma: 380
Good luck finding a college with astrobiology. Most of the world hasn't studied extraterrestrial life yet, and also my autocorrect says that astrobiology isn't even a real word.
Feb 25 2013 8:39PM
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Wompuscat
Posts: 818 - Karma: 380
^ yes I know you can piece together astro and biology to know what it would mean, but the fact we have not found life in space means it's non existent. Searching for habitable planets is not astrobiology, that's astronomy,which covers the knowledge you need in order to determine if a planet's atmosphere is habitable.
Feb 25 2013 8:44PM
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SmotSmoke
Posts: 599 - Karma: 2,728


The answer to the big bang wow man
Feb 25 2013 8:48PM
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feihlination
Posts: 8356 - Karma: 1,084
then tell me, without wiki or so, your definition of a "science", ok?

Feb 25 2013 8:57PM
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icon1234
Posts: 3081 - Karma: 1,475
Follows the scientific method for testing/explaining things?
Feb 25 2013 9:17PM
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.SG
Posts: 138 - Karma: 47
Don't major in what you like. Major in what you're good at. I wish someone told me that before I went to university.
Feb 25 2013 9:19PM
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first_rodeo
Posts: 2383 - Karma: 7,764
Click for larger image
Feb 25 2013 9:24PM
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feihlination
Posts: 8356 - Karma: 1,084
really not trying to argue with you, really no problem here.

you obviously used a word to explain itself, but lets not get too semantic here. i simply say that the more and more you look, the less you really know. scientific methods also included wild and unfunded claims that over time where proven right or wrong.

and if someone now tries to study things like which planets/elements could provide life, how it could look like and where you could look for it, i seriously think that there are less "scientific" sciences (obviously not astrophysics, some of the most intelligent people on this planet work in this field, it was just an example).
Feb 25 2013 9:35PM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
DONT major in that.

Realistically it really isnt useful in 99% of real world jobs. Whos that company going to take, the business major, or the asatrobiology major. While it may be cool, so is English to some people, but that is a pretty useless major as well.

Do a STEM major, and a astrobiology minor
Feb 25 2013 9:39PM
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icon1234
Posts: 3081 - Karma: 1,475
You're looking too much into my use of the word pseudoscience... Given using the word based on theory was a bad word choice. The real point I was trying to get at that this specific major seems to be based on something that really would be difficult to get a job in due to how exotic it is.

And since it was so exotic I just threw in the word pseudoscience. Time to get back to studying tho..
Feb 25 2013 9:39PM
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grapejuice3000+
Posts: 2132 - Karma: 1,985
get your degree in astrophysics, its an amazing field that was relatively dead before all this new technology came into play. you can be a professor until you have enough money to get a doctorate and really start doing studies and such
Feb 25 2013 9:42PM
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icon1234
Posts: 3081 - Karma: 1,475
lol @ the idea of being a professor and not having a doctorate in the field of astrophysics.
Feb 25 2013 9:46PM
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MNS
Posts: 5386 - Karma: 3,241
If you're gonna go for it, better slay it hard. If you don't get an all time GPA you'll prob be fucked for work
Feb 25 2013 9:58PM
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Doug_Gusworthy
Posts: 129 - Karma: 7
take no chances, protect your 401k. Make sure you pick out a retirement home too. Also don't forget to pick a cemetery plot, and reserve a coffin.


Feb 25 2013 10:31PM
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northeast
Posts: 2119 - Karma: 254
based on the fact that astronomy isn't real, I'd go ahead and say no.
Feb 25 2013 10:32PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,122
If you want to do astrobiology you should get an honours degree in astronomy or astrophysics and take ochem and biochem for your options. I doubt there is much you would gain if you did like a double major in biology and astronomy. Probably most of the biology you would need you could look up quickly in a textbook.

do any schools actually offer an "astrobiology" undergraduate degree?
Feb 26 2013 9:30PM
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Edward.
Posts: 9366 - Karma: 445
this.
Feb 26 2013 9:53PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,122
And don't listen to what people are saying about finding a job. If you get an astrophysics degree you will be able to find a good job if that's what you want to do. Walking out of school you will be in better shape than your average biology/economics/business student. The skills you obtain from a degree like that are very desirable to employers. Plus "astrophysics" just sounds impressive and you certainly stand out from the dime-a-dozen majors.
Feb 26 2013 9:58PM
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GEORGEzimmerman
Posts: 1473 - Karma: 439
if your an intelligent person though you can major in a job with a low amount of jobs and still make enough money to have a decent life. Then you will be happy in life since you have a job you are interested in. unlike people who pick jobs just based on money, then they fall into corruption, greed, and depression because they cant fill the void for want of more money or not enough of it(the unhappy middle class and lower middle class average families). if you pick a job based on money ur just gonna fall into the path of corruption and desire for more money as well, so pick the path of what would interest you.
Feb 27 2013 12:16AM
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.Capn.
Posts: 1454 - Karma: 152
Where are you planning on going to school? Not many schools offer such a major...
Feb 27 2013 12:26AM
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Stickity
Posts: 7750 - Karma: 769
your logical fallacy does not amuse me
Feb 27 2013 12:52AM
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feihlination
Posts: 8356 - Karma: 1,084
kind of agree on the depression thingy, not so much on the corruption part. visiting countries that have a slightly different take on jobs, careers and so on, kind of lets you wonder.

stress-related diseases are at an all-time high in germany. then you take countries like portugal. still a legit level of wealth, like everybody has to eat, everybody has a TV and internet and all that stuff. but they take it easy. if you arrange a meeting point and time with someone and you say half past two, you essentially mean three, or even later than that.

all i am saying is that money is so unimportant when you think about it, its not even funny. and to hate on you (although your point kind of slipped away over the last sentences) for having a different perspective shows how fordism changed our culture.

if all you guys really want to fight for every single cent thats out there, you better prepare, because for every career-centered fuckhead in the US and europe, there are probably 20 of them in china, india and japan. they dont know what weekends are or holidays.

and i study banking & finance, just for the record.
Feb 27 2013 6:41AM
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