Astrobiology

A Brief Introduction
Erscheinungsjahr 2006
ISBN: 978-0-8018-8367-5
Verlag: Johns Hopkins University Press

Buch, Englisch, 272 Seiten, Format (B × H): 152 mm x 229 mm, Gewicht: 385 g

Outstanding Academic Title for 2007, Choice Magazine

Astrobiology—the study of the intimate relationship between life and the cosmos—is a fast-growing field that touches on aspects of cosmology, astrophysics, and chemistry. In the first scholarly overview of this dynamic field, biochemists Kevin W. Plaxco and Michael Gross tell the story of life from the Big Bang to the present.

Emphasizing the biochemical nature of astrobiology, Plaxco and Gross examine the origin of the chemical elements, the events behind the developments that made the Universe habitable, and the ongoing sustenance of life. They discuss the formation of the first galaxies and stars, the diverse chemistry of the primordial planet, the origins of metabolism, the evolution of complex organisms, and the feedback regulation of Earth's climate. They also explore life in extreme habitats, potential extraterrestrial habitats, and the search for extraterrestrial life.

This broadly accessible introduction captures the excitement, controversy, and evolution of the dynamic young field of astrobiology. It shows clearly how scientists from different disciplines can combine their special knowledge to enhance our understanding of the Universe.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Plaxco, Kevin W.

Gross, Michael

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Preface
Acknowledgments
1. What Is Life?
2. Origins of a Habitable Universe
3. Origins of a Habitable Planet
4. Primordial Soup
5. The Spark of Life
6. From Molecules to Cells
7. A Concise History of Life on Earth
8. Life on the Edge
9. Habitable Worlds in the Solar System and Beyond
10. The Search for Extraterrestrial Life
Index

Über Autor(innen)

Gross, Michael
Michael Gross (OXFORD, UK) is a science writer who has published in Current Biology and other publications. He is the coauthor of Astrobiology: A Brief Introduction and the translator and editor of Lust and Love: Is It More than Chemistry?

Plaxco, Kevin W.
Kevin W. Plaxco is a professor of chemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Kevin W. Plaxco is a professor of chemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Michael Gross is a science writer based in Oxford.