Download or read book Planetary and Interstellar Processes Relevant to the Origins of Life written by D.C.B. Whittet and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-03-14 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: These are exciting times for exobiology. The ubiquity of organic molecules in interstellar clouds, comets and asteroids strongly supports a cosmic perspective on the origin of life. Data from both ground-based telescopes and the recently launched Infrared Space Observatory are providing new insight into the complexity of carbon-based chemistry beyond the Earth. Meteorites give us solid evidence for extraterrestrial amino acids, and putative fossil evidence for life in a 3.6 billion-year-old Martian meteorite hints that life in our system might not be the sole prerogative of the Earth. Giant planets have now been discovered orbiting other stars, and although such planets seem unlikely to be habitable themselves, their existence strongly suggests what many astronomers have long believed - that planetary systems are commonplace. All these topics are reviewed in this volume by active researchers. The level is appropriate for graduate students in astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth sciences, physics, and related disciplines. It will also provide a valuable source of reference for active researchers in these fields.
Download or read book The Search for Life s Origins written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1990-02-01 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The field of planetary biology and chemical evolution draws together experts in astronomy, paleobiology, biochemistry, and space science who work together to understand the evolution of living systems. This field has made exciting discoveries that shed light on how organic compounds came together to form self-replicating molecules-the origin of life. This volume updates that progress and offers recommendations on research programs-including an ambitious effort centered on Mars-to advance the field over the next 10 to 15 years. The book presents a wide range of data and research results on these and other issues: The biogenic elements and their interaction in the interstellar clouds and in solar nebulae. Early planetary environments and the conditions that lead to the origin of life. The evolution of cellular and multicellular life. The search for life outside the solar system. This volume will become required reading for anyone involved in the search for life's beginnings-including exobiologists, geoscientists, planetary scientists, and U.S. space and science policymakers.
Download or read book Space Science in the Twenty first Century written by and published by . This book was released on 1988 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Origins of Life written by Douglas Whittet and published by Morgan & Claypool Publishers. This book was released on 2017-12-07 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Origins of Life: A Cosmic Perspective presents an overview of the concepts, methods, and theories of astrobiology and origins of life research while presenting a summary of the latest findings. The book provides insight into the environments and processes that gave birth to life on our planet, which naturally informs our assessment of the probability that has arisen (or will arise) elsewhere. In addition, the book encourages readers to go beyond basic concepts, to explore topics in greater depth, and to engage in lively discussions. The text is intended to be suitable for mid- and upper-level undergraduates and beginning graduate students and more generally as an introduction and overview for researchers and general readers seeking to follow current developments in this interdisciplinary field. Readers are assumed to have a basic grounding in the relevant sciences, but prior specialized knowledge is not required. Each chapter concludes with a list of questions and discussion topics as well as suggestions for further reading. Some questions can be answered with reference to material in the text, but others require further reading and some have no known answers. The intention is to encourage readers to go beyond basic concepts, to explore topics in greater depth, and, in a classroom setting, to engage in lively discussions with class members.
Download or read book Ultraviolet Astronomy and the Quest for the Origin of Life written by Ana I. Gomez de Castro and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2021-03-27 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ultraviolet Astronomy and the Quest for the Origin of Life addresses the use of astronomical observations in the ultraviolet range to better understand the generation of complex, life-precursor molecules. The origin of RNA is still under debate but seems to be related to the generation of pools of complex organic molecules submitted to heavy cycles of solution in water and drying. This book investigates whether these cycles require a planetary surface or may occur in space by examining both the theoretical and observational aspects of the role of UV radiation in the origin of life. This book offers the latest advances in these studies for astronomers, astrobiologists and planetary scientists. - Addresses both the theoretical and observational aspects of the role of Ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the origin of life - Builds on the requirements to produce prebiotic molecules in space and the implications for the origin of RNA - Investigates the use of ultraviolet observations related to planetary system formation, the evolution of young planetary disks, and the interaction of stars with planetary atmospheres
Download or read book Lectures in Astrobiology written by Muriel Gargaud and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2005-06-08 with total page 836 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First comprehensive, beginning graduate level book on the emergent science of astrobiology.
Download or read book Planetary Astrobiology written by Victoria Meadows and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2020-07-07 with total page 593 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Are we alone in the universe? How did life arise on our planet? How do we search for life beyond Earth? These profound questions excite and intrigue broad cross sections of science and society. Answering these questions is the province of the emerging, strongly interdisciplinary field of astrobiology. Life is inextricably tied to the formation, chemistry, and evolution of its host world, and multidisciplinary studies of solar system worlds can provide key insights into processes that govern planetary habitability, informing the search for life in our solar system and beyond. Planetary Astrobiology brings together current knowledge across astronomy, biology, geology, physics, chemistry, and related fields, and considers the synergies between studies of solar systems and exoplanets to identify the path needed to advance the exploration of these profound questions. Planetary Astrobiology represents the combined efforts of more than seventy-five international experts consolidated into twenty chapters and provides an accessible, interdisciplinary gateway for new students and seasoned researchers who wish to learn more about this expanding field. Readers are brought to the frontiers of knowledge in astrobiology via results from the exploration of our own solar system and exoplanetary systems. The overarching goal of Planetary Astrobiology is to enhance and broaden the development of an interdisciplinary approach across the astrobiology, planetary science, and exoplanet communities, enabling a new era of comparative planetology that encompasses conditions and processes for the emergence, evolution, and detection of life.
Download or read book Lectures in Astrobiology written by Bernard Barbier and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2006-01-13 with total page 556 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first of a divided two-part softcover edition of the "Lectures in Astrobiology Volume I" containing the sections "General Introduction", "The Early Earth and Other Cosmic Habitats for Life" and "Appendices" including an extensive glossary on Astrobiology. "Lectures in Astrobiology" is the first comprehensive textbook at graduate level encompassing all aspects of the emerging field of astrobiology. Volume I of the Lectures in Astrobiology gathers a first set of extensive lectures that cover a broad range of topics, from the formation of solar systems to the quest for the most primitive life forms that emerged on the Early Earth.
Download or read book Life in the Cosmos written by Manasvi Lingam and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2021-06-29 with total page 1089 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A rigorous and scientific analysis of the myriad possibilities of life beyond our planet. ÒAre we alone in the universe?Ó This tantalizing question has captivated humanity over millennia, but seldom has it been approached rigorously. Today the search for signatures of extraterrestrial life and intelligence has become a rapidly advancing scientific endeavor. Missions to Mars, Europa, and Titan seek evidence of life. Laboratory experiments have made great strides in creating synthetic life, deepening our understanding of conditions that give rise to living entities. And on the horizon are sophisticated telescopes to detect and characterize exoplanets most likely to harbor life. Life in the Cosmos offers a thorough overview of the burgeoning field of astrobiology, including the salient methods and paradigms involved in the search for extraterrestrial life and intelligence. Manasvi Lingam and Abraham Loeb tackle three areas of interest in hunting for life Òout thereÓ: first, the pathways by which life originates and evolves; second, planetary and stellar factors that affect the habitability of worlds, with an eye on the biomarkers that may reveal the presence of microbial life; and finally, the detection of technological signals that could be indicative of intelligence. Drawing on empirical data from observations and experiments, as well as the latest theoretical and computational developments, the authors make a compelling scientific case for the search for life beyond what we can currently see. Meticulous and comprehensive, Life in the Cosmos is a master class from top researchers in astrobiology, suggesting that the answer to our age-old question is closer than ever before.
Download or read book Astrochemistry written by Andrew M. Shaw and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2021-11-25 with total page 500 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fully revised new edition of an introductory text to the dynamic and fascinating subject of astrochemistry Since the first edition in 2006 of Astrochemistry, the Mars rovers have driven 31.18 miles, there has been fly-by of Pluto changing it from a 4-pixel world on the Hubble Space Telescope into a mysterious non-planet. There have been visits to asteroids, revisiting Mercury, discovery of the Higgs Boson, discovery of over 2000 extrasolar planets and landing on the comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko by Rosetta mission – hence the timely publication of this new edition. This core textbook now includes more detailed information on the kinetic modelling of chemistry in the interstellar medium, extending the same principles of physical chemistry to meteor ablation and finally atmospheres and oceans. The increase in density from near-emptiness to 1.35 x 1021 L of water in the world's oceans is used to take single collision kinetics into ensemble thermodynamics. A new introduction of thermodynamic using meteor ablation replaces traditional bomb calorimetry and per-biotic chemistry leads to spontaneous reactions. New to the second edition: An extended discussion on matter, dark or otherwise, interstellar and stellar chemistry and the origin of pre-biotic molecules Detailed chemical kinetic models for mechanisms of chemistry in the interstellar medium Origins of life in solution, enzyme kinetics and catalysis A review of Mars and Titan as habitats for life Fully referenced throughout to reflect the research frontier An introduction to the idea of analytical mathematical engines that can do all of the heavy mathematics and fostering the skill of setting up a model and testing it 200 problems with detailed solutions Written for undergraduate and postgraduate students in astrochemistry or more generally physical chemistry, the new edition of Astrochemistry is an important introductory text to the topic, the latest developments in the field and the ubiquity of physical chemistry.
Download or read book Solar System Planets and Exoplanets written by Joseph Bevelacqua and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2021-07-07 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Solar System Planets and Exoplanets provides a current viewpoint of planetary systems. The solar system’s planets and exoplanets are addressed in an overview manner, and specific space probe data are used to provide a current state of knowledge of Venus and Mars. Recent Mars data and associated observations are addressed in several chapters. Of particular interest are data that suggest the possibility that life could have existed on the planet’s surface during its past when Mars’ atmosphere was wetter and denser. The search for life on Mars is one of the main objectives of space missions, and it is an ongoing theme of this book. Key to the existence of life is the evolution of the radiation output of the Sun that is discussed and projected into the future. Space probe data related to the Asteroid Belt is also presented. Technological advances in terms of operating aircraft on Mars and propulsion systems provide useful commentary regarding future innovations that will enhance upcoming space missions and the search for life.
Download or read book The Astrophysical Context of Life written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2005-06-25 with total page 93 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1997, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) formed the National Astrobiology Institute to coordinate and fund research into the origins, distribution, and fate of life in the universe. A 2002 NRC study of that program, Life in the Universe: An Assessment of U.S. and International Programs in Astrobiology, raised a number of concerns about the Astrobiology program. In particular, it concluded that areas of astrophysics related to the astronomical environment in which life arose on earth were not well represented in the program. In response to that finding, the Space Studies Board requested the original study committee, the Committee on the Origins and Evolution of Life, to examine ways to augment and integrate astronomy and astrophysics into the Astrobiology program. This report presents the results of that study. It provides a review of the earlier report and related efforts, a detailed examination of the elements of the astrobiology program that would benefit from greater integration and augmentation of astronomy and astrophysics, and an assessment of ways to facilitate the integration of astronomy with other astrobiology disciplines.
Download or read book Science and Creationism written by National Academy of Sciences (U.S.) and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1999 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edition of Science and Creationism summarizes key aspects of several of the most important lines of evidence supporting evolution. It describes some of the positions taken by advocates of creation science and presents an analysis of these claims. This document lays out for a broader audience the case against presenting religious concepts in science classes. The document covers the origin of the universe, Earth, and life; evidence supporting biological evolution; and human evolution. (Contains 31 references.) (CCM)
Download or read book The Origin of Life written by Sir Fred Hoyle and published by . This book was released on 1980 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Limits of Organic Life in Planetary Systems written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2007-06-26 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The search for life in the solar system and beyond has to date been governed by a model based on what we know about life on Earth (terran life). Most of NASA's mission planning is focused on locations where liquid water is possible and emphasizes searches for structures that resemble cells in terran organisms. It is possible, however, that life exists that is based on chemical reactions that do not involve carbon compounds, that occurs in solvents other than water, or that involves oxidation-reduction reactions without oxygen gas. To assist NASA incorporate this possibility in its efforts to search for life, the NRC was asked to carry out a study to evaluate whether nonstandard biochemistry might support life in solar system and conceivable extrasolar environments, and to define areas to guide research in this area. This book presents an exploration of a limited set of hypothetical chemistries of life, a review of current knowledge concerning key questions or hypotheses about nonterran life, and suggestions for future research.
Download or read book Astronomical Origins of Life written by B. Hoyle and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Living material contains about twenty different sorts of atom combined into a set of relatively simple molecules. Astrobiologists tend to believe that abiotic mater ial will give rise to life in any place where these molecules exist in appreciable abundances and where physical conditions approximate to those occurring here on Earth. We think this popular view is wrong, for it is not the existence of the building blocks of life that is crucial but the exceedingly complicated structures in which they are arranged in living forms. The probability of arriving at biologically significant arrangements is so very small that only by calling on the resources of the whole universe does there seem to be any possibility of life originating, a conclusion that requires life on the Earth to be a minute component of a universal system. Some think that the hugely improbable transition from non-living to living mat ter can be achieved by dividing the transition into many small steps, calling on a so-called 'evolutionary' process to bridge the small steps one by one. This claim turns on semantic arguments which seek to replace the probability for the whole chain by the sum of the individual probabilities of the many steps, instead of by their product. This is an error well known to those bookies who are accustomed to taking bets on the stacking of horse races. But we did not begin our investigation from this point of view.
Download or read book Literature 1997 Part 1 written by Astronomisches Rechen-InstitutARI and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-11-11 with total page 1746 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Astronomy and Astrophysics Abstracts is devoted to the recording, summarizing and indexing of astronomical publications throughout the world. Two volumes are scheduled to appear per year. Volume 67 records 10,903 papers covering besides the classical fields of astronomy and astrophysics such matters as space flights related to astronomy, lunar and planetary probes and satellites, meteorites and interplanetary matter, X rays and cosmic rays, quasars and pulsars. The abstracts are classified under more than one hundred subject categories thus permitting quick surveying of the bulk of material published on the same topic within six months. For instance, this volume records 119 papers on minor planets, 155 papers on supernovae, and 554 papers on cosmology.
