Origins Center

Center for the study of origins and evolution of life, planets and the universe

What is the Origins Center

The Origins Center is a Dutch initiative that aims to bring together a broad range of scientific disciplines to address one of the biggest challenges in science: the origin, or origins, of life on earth and in the universe. Its aim is to spark and facilitate transdisciplinary research between scientists associated with Dutch universities and research institutes that addresses the following five gamechangers:

Origin and co-evolution of earth-like planets and life

Predicting evolution

Building and directing life from molecule to biosphere

Finding extraterrestrial life

Bridging long temporal and spatial scales

News & events

Disciplines represented in the Origins Center include astronomy, biophysics, chemistry, ecology and evolution, mathematics and computational science, molecular biosciences, and planetary and geosciences.

History of the Origins Center

The Origins Center sprang from the Dutch National Science Agenda. This agenda came about after a nation-wide consultation, in 2016, of the general public regarding the problems scientists should focus on. The response was distilled down to 25 key topics. The question of the origin, or origins, of life on earth and in the universe emerged as one of the most fundamental of these. In 2016 and 2017, a number of workshops were organized bringing together scientists from a diverse spectrum of background to elaborate this topic. The momentum and enthusiasm that arose in the process culminated in founding the Origins Center.