Impacts are likely to have played a significant role in the emergence and evolution of life. The influence of impacts on life are manifold. Firstly, impacts by asteroids, comets and meteorites might have delivered water and other vital molecules for the early evolution of life to Earth. Secondly, impacts have in the past caused mass extinction at least once, namely in the case of the End Cretaceous impact, thereby greatly influencing the evolution of life on Earth. Heavy bombardment of impacts during the Hadean age of Earth might also have delayed or repeatedly frustrated the origin of life on Earth. Impact by large bodies still pose a non-negligible threat to terrestrial life. Eve smaller impacts can have considerable ecological implications. Thirdly, impacts might have created local favourable conditions for life, especially through the creation of impact-generated hydrothermal vents, which could have persisted for a long time after the initial impact. Thus, impacts can have both a negative and positive influence on life.
On a less dramatic note, impacts and impact sites are ideal vectors to get the public interested in geology and space sciences. Many geoparks have been created around impact craters and have been used to foster public engagement in science. Amongst other themes, the proposed session will especially invite contributions concerning the following subjects:
• Impacts and the early history of the Solar System
• Impact structures as indicators of target properties and habitability
• Role of impacts in delivery and formation of the molecular building blocks for life
• Impact-generated habitats for life
• Environmental and ecological effects of impacts
• Impacts as threats for life and humankind
• Use of impact sites for geoconservation, education and outreach