Astrobiology: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy (Astrobiology Perspectives on Life in the Universe)

This unique book advances the frontier discussion of a wide spectrum of astrobiological issues on scientific advances, space ethics, social impact, religious meaning, and public policy formulation. Astrobiology is an exploding discipline in which not only the natural sciences, but also the social sciences and humanities converge. Astrobiology: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy is a multidisciplinary book that presents different perspectives and points of view by its contributing specialists. Epistemological, moral and political issues arising from astrobiology, convey the complexity of challenges posed by the search for life elsewhere in the universe. We ask: if a convoy of colonists from Earth make the trip to Mars, should their genomes be edited to adapt to the Red Planet’s environment? If scientists discover a biosphere with microbial life within our solar system, will it possess intrinsic value or merely utilitarian value? If astronomers discover an intelligent civilization on an exoplanet elsewhere in the Milky Way, what would be humanity’s moral responsibility: to protect Earth from an existential threat? To treat other intelligences with dignity? To exploit through interstellar commerce? To conquer? The book will attract readers from a wide range of interests including astronomers, astrobiologists, chemists, biologists, space engineers, ethicists, theologians and philosophers. Acknowledgements xv About the CompanionWebsite xvii 1 Astrobiology and Life 1 1.1 About this Textbook 1 1.2 Astrobiology and Life 4 1.3 What is Astrobiology? 4 1.4 History of Astrobiology 6 1.5 What is Life? 9 1.6 Conclusions 12 Further Reading 12 2 Matter, the Stuff of Life 13 2.1 Matter and Life 13 2.2 We are Made of Ordinary Matter 13 2.3 Matter: Its Nucleus 14 2.3.1 Isotopes 14 2.4 Electrons, Atoms and Ions 15 2.5 Types of Bonding in Matter 15 2.6 Ionic Bonding 15 2.6.1 Ionic Bonds and Life 16 2.7 Covalent Bonding 17 2.7.1 Covalent Bonds and Life 17 2.8 Metallic Bonding 19 2.9 van der Waals Interactions 19 2.9.1 Dipole dipole (Keesom) Forces 19 2.9.2 Dipole induced Dipole (Debye; Pronounced deh-beye) Forces 19 2.9.3 Dispersion Forces 20 2.9.4 van der Waals Interactions and Life 20 2.10 Hydrogen Bonding 20 2.10.1 Hydrogen Bonds and Life 21 2.11 The Equation of State Describes the Relationship between Different Types of Matter 21 2.12 Phase Diagrams 22 2.12.1 Matter and Mars 23 2.12.2 Phase Diagrams and Life 24 2.13 Other States of Matter 25 2.13.1 Plasma 25 2.13.2 Degenerate Matter 25 2.14 The Interaction between Matter and Light 27 2.14.1 The Special Case of the Hydrogen Atom 29 2.14.2 Uses to Astrobiology 29 2.15 Conclusions 30 Further Reading 30 3 Life s Structure: Building the Molecules 33 3.1 Building Life 33 3.2 The Essential Elements: CHNOPS 33 3.3 Carbon is Versatile 34 3.4 The Chains of Life 35 3.5 Proteins 35 3.6 Chirality 37 3.7 Carbohydrates (Sugars) 38 3.8 Lipids 39 3.9 The Nucleic Acids 39 3.9.1 Ribonucleic Acid 40 3.10 The Solvent of Life 43 3.10.1 Water as the Best Solvent 43 3.11 Alternative Chemistries 44 3.11.1 Alternative Core Elements 44 3.11.2 Alternative Solvents 47 3.12 The Structure of Life and Habitability 48 3.13 Conclusion 49 Further Reading 49 4 Life s Structure: Building Cells from Molecules 51 4.1 From Molecules to Cells 51 4.2 Types of Cells 51 4.3 Shapes of Cells 53 4.4 The Structure of Cells 53 4.5 Membranes 55 4.5.1 Gram-negative and Positive Prokaryotic Membranes 56 4.5.2 Archeal Membranes 58 4.6 The Information Storage System of Life 58 4.6.1 Transcription DNA to RNA 59 4.6.2 Translation RNA to Protein 60 4.6.3 A Remarkable Code 62 4.6.4 DNA Replication 62 4.6.5 Plasmids 64 4.6.6 eDNA 65 4.7 Cell Reproduction 65 4.8 The Growth of Life 67 4.9 Moving and Communicating 68 4.9.1 Movement in Prokaryotes 68 4.9.2 Communication in Prokaryotes 68 4.10 Eukaryotic Cells 70 4.10.1 Endosymbiosis 72 4.11 Viruses 72 4.12 Prions 74 4.13 Conclusions 74 Further Reading Contents Foreword Preface 1 Astrobioethics: Epistemological, Astrotheological, and Interplanetary Issues • Octavio A. Chon Torres 2 Astroethics for Earthlings: Our Responsibility to the Galactic Commons • Ted Peters 3 Moral Philosophy for a Second Genesis • Julian Chela-Flores 4 Who Goes There? When Astrobiology Challenges Humans • Jacques Arnould 5 Social and Ethical Currents in Astrobiological Debates • Kelly C. Smith 6 The Ethics of Biocontamination • Tony Milligan 7 Astrobiology Education: Inspiring Diverse Audiences with the Search for Life in the Universe • Chris Impey 8 Genetics, Ethics, and Mars Colonization: A Special Case of Gene Editing and Population Forces in Space Settlement • Konrad Szocik, Margaret Boone Rappaport and Christopher Corbally 9 Constructing a Space Ethics Upon Natural Law Ethics • Brian Patrick Green 10 Two Elephants in the Room of Astrobiology • Jensine Andresen 11 Microbial Life, Ethics and the Exploration of Space Revisited • Charles S. Cockell 12 Astrobiology, the United Nations, and Geopolitics • Linda Billings 13 An Ethical Assessment of SETI, METI, and the Value of Our Planetary Home • Chelsea Haramia and Julia DeMarines 14 The Axiological Dimension of Planetary Protection • Erik Persson 15 Who Speaks for Humanity? The Need for a Single Political Voice • Ian A. Crawford 16 Interstellar Ethics and the Goldilocks Evolutionary Sequence: Can We Expect ETI to Be Moral? • Margaret Boone Rappaport, Christopher Corbally and Konrad Szocik 17 Intrinsic Value, American Buddhism, and Potential Life on Saturn’s Moon Titan • Daniel Capper 18 A Space Settler’s Bill of Rights • Russell Greenall-Sharp, David Kobza, Courtney Houston, Mohammad Allabbad, Jamie Staggs and James S.J. Schwartz Index ASTROBIOLOGY This unique book advances the frontier discussion of a wide spectrum of astrobiological issues on scientific advances, space ethics, social impact, religious meaning, and public policy formulation. Astrobiology is an exploding discipline in which not only the natural sciences, but also the social sciences and humanities converge. Science, Ethics, and Public Policy is a multidisciplinary book that presents different perspectives and points of view by its contributing specialists. Epistemological, moral and political issues arising from astrobiology, convey the complexity of challenges posed by the search for life elsewhere in the universe. We if a convoy of colonists from Earth make the trip to Mars, should their genomes be edited to adapt to the Red Planets environment? If scientists discover a biosphere with microbial life within our solar system, will it possess intrinsic value or merely utilitarian value? If astronomers discover an intelligent civilization on an exoplanet elsewhere in the Milky Way, what would be humanitys moral to protect Earth from an existential threat? To treat other intelligences with dignity? To exploit through interstellar commerce? To conquer? Audience The book will attract readers from a wide range of interests including astronomers, astrobiologists, chemists, biologists, space engineers, ethicists, theologians and philosophers.