Sean McMahon

I am an astrobiologist: a geoscientist interested in life, the universe, and everything (particularly the relationship between the first two). I lead the Planetary Palaeobiology Groupin the School of Physics and Astronomy and the School of GeoSciences at the University of Edinburgh, where I also co-direct the UK Centre for Astrobiology, teach a variety of science courses, and run Edinburgh’s unique new MSc programme in Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences.

Current interests span the chemistry of fossilization, the identification of fossil bacteria, the origin and early evolution of life, the search for life on Mars, the philosophy of astrobiology, and the problem of false positives in astrobiology. Research in my group combines field, analytical, theoretical and experimental approaches and is currently funded by the Royal Society, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and the Leverhulme Trust, among other sources.

Peruse my blog on the left, read my career highlights and publications here, and please contact me if you are interested in working with me as a PhD student or postdoctoral fellow. My CV is available on reasonable request.

Thanks for your interest in my work,

Sean