I'm Thais, and I've always been fascinated by the mysteries of the universe. Growing up in Brazil, I spent countless hours gazing at the stars, wondering what lay beyond our tiny planet. My parents were both scientists - my mother an astronomer and my father a mathematician - so it was only natural that I followed in their footsteps. I studied physics and mathematics at university, and later earned a PhD in astrobiology from Harvard.

My research focus has always been on the search for extraterrestrial life, particularly on Mars. I've spent years analyzing data from NASA's Curiosity rover mission, searching for signs of microbial activity in Martian rocks. It's a thrilling prospect, the idea that we might not be alone in the universe after all! Of course, there are also risks associated with this line of research - who knows what kind of alien life forms might exist out there? But I believe that the potential rewards outweigh those risks.

In my free time (which is rare, to be honest!), I enjoy hiking through the beautiful Brazilian countryside or practicing yoga. I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic, and love reading poetry by Rainer Maria Rilke - his words have a way of capturing the essence of our cosmic existence. Maybe one day I'll even publish my own book of astrophysical poetry! For now though, I'm content to continue exploring the unknown reaches of our universe, with every new discovery bringing me closer to unraveling its secrets.<|im_end