How did life originate in the universe? How did it all start after the creation of matter and the formation of elements in the stars? What are the pathways from the first organic molecules in space to the evolution of complex life forms on Earth and perhaps elsewhere? And how will it all end? The Universe itself sets the stage for the very interdisciplinary field of astrobiology that attempts to answer such questions, the central one being: What is the (cosmic) recipe for life? Currently there are only very few known elements in this vast mosaic. This book bridges a gap in the literature by bringing together leading specialists from different backgrounds who lecture on their fields, with close relevance to astrobiology, providing tutorial accounts that lead all the way to the forefront of research. The book will thus be useful for students, lecturers and reseachers alike.
Author(s): Baruch S. Blumberg (auth.), Dr. Gerda Horneck, Dr. Christa Baumstark-Khan (eds.)
Edition: 1
Publisher: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
Year: 2002
Language: English
Pages: 411
Tags: Astrobiology; Biogeosciences; Ecosystems; Evolutionary Biology; Extraterrestrial Physics, Space Sciences; Organic Chemistry
Front Matter....Pages I-XV
Introduction....Pages 1-4
Front Matter....Pages 5-5
From Molecular Clouds to the Origin of Life....Pages 7-23
The Diversity of Extrasolar Planets Around Solar Type Stars....Pages 25-46
Habitable Zones in Extrasolar Planetary Systems....Pages 47-56
Viable Transfer of Microorganisms in the Solar System and Beyond....Pages 57-76
Front Matter....Pages 77-77
Water, the Spring of Life....Pages 79-88
Geomorphological Record of Water-Related Erosion on Mars....Pages 89-109
Europa’s Crust and Ocean: How Tides Create a Potentially Habitable Physical Setting....Pages 111-124
Permafrost Model of Extraterrestrial Habitat....Pages 125-142
Microbial Life in Terrestrial Permafrost: Methanogenesis and Nitrification in Gelisols as Potentials for Exobiological Process....Pages 143-159
Life in Cold Lakes....Pages 161-168
Hyperthermophilic Microorganisms....Pages 169-184
Halophilic Microorganisms....Pages 185-200
Front Matter....Pages 201-201
Martian Atmospheric Evolution: Implications of an Ancient Intrinsic Magnetic Field....Pages 203-217
The Ultraviolet Radiation Environment of Earth and Mars: Past and Present....Pages 219-232
Ultraviolet Radiation in Planetary Atmospheres and Biological Implications....Pages 233-243
Environmental UV Radiation: Biological Strategies for Protection and Avoidance....Pages 245-260
Life under Conditions of Ionizing Radiation....Pages 261-284
Front Matter....Pages 285-285
Graviperception and Graviresponse at the Cellular Level....Pages 287-296
Gravistimulated Effects in Plants....Pages 297-313
Front Matter....Pages 285-285
Gravitational Zoology: How Animals Use and Cope with Gravity....Pages 315-333
Front Matter....Pages 335-335
Scaling Phenomena and the Emergence of Complexity in Astrobiology....Pages 337-360
Molecular Self-Assembly and the Origin of Life....Pages 361-372
Search for Morphological and Biogeochemical Vestiges of Fossil Life in Extraterrestrial Settings: Utility of Terrestrial Evidence....Pages 373-386
Front Matter....Pages 387-387
Space Activities in Exo-Astrobiology....Pages 389-398
Back Matter....Pages 399-411
