COSMIC ORIGINS CENTER D. Sasselov (Astronomy), J. Bloxham (Earth and Planetary Science), C. Friend (Chemistry & Chem. Biology & DEAS), L. Hernquist (Astronomy), S. Jacobsen (Earth and Planetary Science), A. Knoll (Biology & EPS), M. Lecar (Astronomy-SAO), A. Loeb (Astronomy), S. Martin (DEAS), R. Noyes (Astronomy), O'Connell (Earth and Planetary Science), G. Ruvkun (Medical School-MGH), S. Stewart-Mukhopadhyay (Earth & Planetary Science), J. Szostak (Medical School-MGH) Throughout recorded history there are a few big questions that have always occupied people's minds. In the words of De Fontenelle (1686): "...for what can more concern us than to know how this world which we inhabit is made; and whether there be any other worlds like it, which are also inhabited as this is?" Understanding the origin of life and its diversity has become a problem that can be tackled by modern science methods. Renewed interest in it is fueled by the recent exploration of Mars and the discovery of planets around other stars. Tantalizing laboratory results have been achieved. Harvard already has leadership in these separate efforts. We propose an inter-disciplinary Center which will bring them all "under one roof" and become a leader in this one of 21-st century's major intellectual themes. The Center will also provide a home for the increasing number of Harvard students interested in pursuing this inter-disciplinary theme, and possibly establishing a new concentration/degree in the future. We will help the development of young scientists who will be equipped to respond to the highly inter-disciplinary requirements of this new area. CONNECTIONS: Understanding the origin of life and its diversity builds on the astrophysical and cosmochemical perspectives and is completed by the biological perspective. At present our initiative involves groups, labs, and faculty from astrophysics (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics), cosmochemistry and planetary science (Earth & Planetary Science, Chemistry & Chem. Biology departments, and DEAS), and biology (Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, and Molecular Biology at Harvard Medical School - MGH). There are existing and potential connections to the technology sector and applied science, both to the bio-tech and the advanced imaging technologies. IMPLEMENTATION: Achieving the synergy between these geographically separated efforts would require some common space and the resources to foster inter-disciplinary thinking through teaching, research and colloquia. On the short term, the needs are to (a) bring closer to campus the molecular biology labs, which conduct the experiments on the origin of life and alien life detection, from MGH; and (b) facilitate the intellectual adjacency of the cosmochemistry and biology labs with the astrophysics groups. On the long term, the Cosmic Origins Center will become the place for (a) new labs for our biology and cosmochemistry groups; (b) an investment in new observational technologies for discovery and study of extra-solar planets (incl. instrumentation labs); and (c) a common computation lab for observational data and theoretical work.