Betül Kaçar

Dr. Betül Kaçar is a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor and NASA-funded research leader exploring life’s early evolution. Her team has developed methods to uncover ancient biological innovations. She earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Emory and trained at Harvard in Evolutionary Biology.

A woman with short dark hair and a white sleeveless top sits with her arms crossed, looking directly at the camera against a plain light background.

A vintage, hexagonal brooch featuring a realistic painted human eye in the center, surrounded by a metallic frame.

The Well

The case for useless knowledge

Astrobiologist Betül Kaçar on why the simple act of asking questions (without needing a reason) is one of the most powerful things a human can do.

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3 min

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with

Betül Kaçar

The Well

The ocean is evolving, and it’s not based on the ‘survival of the fittest’

The ocean is evolving, and it’s not based on the ‘survival of the fittest.’ Astrobiologist Betül Kaçar explains how it’s not competition that has kept the ocean alive, but collaboration.

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3 min

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with

Betül Kaçar

Black and white illustration of a stylized human eye in the top left and a detailed depiction of an eyeball’s internal structure in the bottom right on a beige background.

The Well

What NASA is really looking for in space

We may be close to finding life beyond Earth. But would we even recognize it if we did? Astrobiologist Betül Kaçar explains what signs NASA is looking for.

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3 min

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with

Betül Kaçar