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Author: Louis Neal Irwin
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1441916474
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 353
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Book Description
In Cosmic Biology, Louis Irwin and Dirk Schulze-Makuch guide readers through the range of planetary habitats found in our Solar System and those likely to be found throughout the universe. Based on our current knowledge of chemistry, energy, and evolutionary tendencies, the authors envision a variety of possible life forms. These range from the familiar species found on Earth to increasingly exotic examples possible under the different conditions of other planets and their satellites. Discussions of the great variety of life forms that could evolve in these diverse environments have become particularly relevant in recent years with the discovery of around 300 exoplanets in orbit around other stars and the possibilities for the existence of life in these planetary systems. The book also posits a taxonomic classification of the various forms of life that might be found, including speculation on the relative abundance of different forms and the generic fate of living systems. The fate and future of life on Earth will also be considered. The closing passages address the Fermi Paradox, and conclude with philosophical reflections on the possible place of Homo sapiens in the potentially vast stream of life across the galaxies.
Author: Louis Neal Irwin
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1441916474
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 353
Get Book Here
Book Description
In Cosmic Biology, Louis Irwin and Dirk Schulze-Makuch guide readers through the range of planetary habitats found in our Solar System and those likely to be found throughout the universe. Based on our current knowledge of chemistry, energy, and evolutionary tendencies, the authors envision a variety of possible life forms. These range from the familiar species found on Earth to increasingly exotic examples possible under the different conditions of other planets and their satellites. Discussions of the great variety of life forms that could evolve in these diverse environments have become particularly relevant in recent years with the discovery of around 300 exoplanets in orbit around other stars and the possibilities for the existence of life in these planetary systems. The book also posits a taxonomic classification of the various forms of life that might be found, including speculation on the relative abundance of different forms and the generic fate of living systems. The fate and future of life on Earth will also be considered. The closing passages address the Fermi Paradox, and conclude with philosophical reflections on the possible place of Homo sapiens in the potentially vast stream of life across the galaxies.
Author: Nalin Chandra Wickramasinghe
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 981467527X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 713
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Book Description
In the year 2015, 100 years after Fred Hoyle was born, the ideas relating to the cosmic origins of life are slowly gaining credence in scientific circles. Once regarded as outrageous heresy, evidence from a variety of disciplines — astronomy, geology, biology — is converging to support these once heretical ideas.This volume opens with recent review articles pointing incontrovertibly towards our cosmic heritage, followed by a collection of published articles tracing the development of the theory throughout the years. The discovery that microorganisms — bacteria and viruses — are incredibly resistant to the harshest conditions of space, along with the detection of an estimated 144 billion habitable planets around other star systems in our galaxy alone, makes it virtually impossible to maintain that life on one planet will not interact with life elsewhere. The emerging position is that life arose exceedingly rarely, possibly only once, in the history of the cosmos, but its subsequent spread was unstoppable. 'Panspermiology' can no longer be described as an eccentric doctrine, but rather is the only doctrine supported by an overwhelming body of evidence. Fred Hoyle's work in this area may in the fullness of time come to be regarded as his most important scientific contribution.
Author: Kevin W. Plaxco
Publisher: JHU Press
ISBN: 1421401940
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 348
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Book Description
Informed by new planetary discoveries and the findings from recent robotic missions to Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, scientists are rapidly replacing centuries of speculation about potential extraterrestrial habitats with real knowledge about the possibility of life outside our own biosphere—if it exists, and where. This second edition of Kevin W. Plaxco and Michael Gross’s widely acclaimed text incorporates the latest research in astrobiology to bring readers the most comprehensive, up-to-date, and engaging introduction to the field available. Plaxco and Gross expand their examination of the origin of chemical elements, the developments that made the Universe habitable, and how life continues to be sustained. They discuss in great detail 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 current status of the search for extraterrestrial life. Weaving together the relevant threads of astronomy, geology, chemistry, biophysics, and microbiology, this broadly accessible introductory text captures the excitement, controversy, and progress of the dynamic young field of astrobiology. New to this edition is a glossary of terms and an epilogue recapping the key unanswered questions, making Astrobiology an ideal primer for students and, indeed, for anyone curious about life and the Universe.
Author: Nalin Chandra Wickramasinghe
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9819800900
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 184
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Book Description
Forty years ago, Fred Hoyle and Chandra Wickramasinghe challenged the long-held belief that life originated spontaneously from a primordial soup on Earth — a concept rooted in Aristotelian philosophy and dominant in Western science for over two millennia. They proposed that life might have originated elsewhere in the universe and spread to Earth through a process called panspermia.Hoyle and Wickramasinghe's research, supported by advancements in space technology and astronomy, argued that the origins of life required a cosmological scale beyond the solar system or galaxy. Their work contributed to the emergence of astrobiology, merging astronomy and biology, and indicated a shift from Earth-centered theories of life.Their challenge parallels the Copernican revolution, which displaced Earth from the center of the universe. Similarly, Hoyle and Wickramasinghe's ideas suggest a new paradigm shift in science, moving towards a view of life as a cosmic phenomenon. Recent discoveries, particularly with the James Webb Space Telescope, further support this shift, indicating that a major transformation in our understanding of life's origins may be approaching.
Author: Manasvi Lingam
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674987578
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 1089
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Book Description
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.
Author: Dirk Schulze-Makuch
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319620452
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 238
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Book Description
Are humans a galactic oddity, or will complex life with human abilities develop on planets with environments that remain habitable for long enough? In a clear, jargon-free style, two leading researchers in the burgeoning field of astrobiology critically examine the major evolutionary steps that led us from the distant origins of life to the technologically advanced species we are today. Are the key events that took life from simple cells to astronauts unique occurrences that would be unlikely to occur on other planets? By focusing on what life does - it's functional abilities - rather than specific biochemistry or anatomy, the authors provide plausible answers to this question. Systematically exploring the various pathways that led to the complex biosphere we experience on planet Earth, they show that most of the steps along that path are likely to occur on any world hosting life, with only two exceptions: One is the origin of life itself – if this is a highly improbable event, then we live in a rather “empty universe”. However, if this isn’t the case, we inevitably live in a universe containing a myriad of planets hosting complex as well as microbial life - a “cosmic zoo”. The other unknown is the rise of technologically advanced beings, as exemplified on Earth by humans. Only one technological species has emerged in the roughly 4 billion years life has existed on Earth, and we don’t know of any other technological species elsewhere. If technological intelligence is a rare, almost unique feature of Earth's history, then there can be no visitors to the cosmic zoo other than ourselves. Schulze-Makuch and Bains take the reader through the history of life on Earth, laying out a consistent and straightforward framework for understanding why we should think that advanced, complex life exists on planets other than Earth. They provide a unique perspective on the question that puzzled the human species for centuries: are we alone?
Author: Jeremy Narby
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101494352
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 273
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Book Description
"A Copernican revolution for the life sciences."—Medical Tribune Unlock the mysteries of biology, anthropology, and ancient civilizations in this thought-provoking read where science and spirituality intersect. Through Jeremy Narby′s travels and research in the Amazon, he discovered that shamans were able to use hallucinogens to tap into knowledge and insights that rival our discoveries using modern scientific methods, particularly with regards to DNA and molecular biology. Drawing on visionary experiences, indigenous knowledge, and pharmacology, Narby challenges conventional understanding, unraveling the connections between consciousness, serpent symbolism, and the origins of life itself. This enlightening book blends science, anthropology, and mysticism into a captivating narrative that will expand your mind.
Author: Eric J. Chaisson
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674009878
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 288
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Book Description
Chaisson addresses some of the most basic issues we can contemplate: the origin of matter and the origin of life, and the ways matter, life, and radiation interact and change with time. He designs for us an expansive yet intricate model depicting the origin and evolution of all material structures.
Author: Akademii︠a︡ nauk SSSR.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biology
Languages : en
Pages : 452
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Book Description
Author: Nalin Chandra Wickramasinghe
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9811259097
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 302
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Book Description
This curated collection of scientific papers on the origin and global spread of COVID-19 is a unique project that offers explanations at odds with mainstream views as the theme mainly focuses on Panspermia (viruses, microorganisms and their spores, and cometary arrival of even more complex cellular organisms).No other scientific group has paid attention to the temporal unfolding scientific order at the many required levels of understanding — astrobiological and astrophysical, geographical and the temporal order of global proportions, yet regional epidemics, the immunologic dimensions to the infection and epidemic data, the genetics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus as it adapted, varied and appeared in different human populations in the crucial first few months of the pandemic. This in-depth analysis, over a two-year period, allows a better understanding of what engulfed the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, how it happened and the most plausible way.There are many lessons for future generations that can be distilled from the contributions found in this book.
