The molecular origins of life : assembling pieces of the puzzle

The origin of life was probably the result of a singular event in the Earth's history, and reconstructing this event is like assembling a puzzle made up of many pieces. These pieces are composed of information acquired from many different disciplines. The aim of this book is to integrate the most recent discoveries in astronomy, planetology, paleontology, biology and chemistry, and use this knowledge to present plausible scenarios that give us a better understanding of the likely origin of life on Earth. Eighteen experts contribute chapters that discuss everything from the environment and atmosphere of the early Earth, to the appearance of organic molecules in the prebiotic environment, to primitive chiral chemical systems capable of self-replication and evolution by mutation. The book also discusses various clues to the origin of life that can be obtained by a study of the past and present microbial world, as well as from other planets. The origin of life was an event probably unique in the Earth's history, and reconstructing this event is like assembling a puzzle made up of many pieces. These pieces are composed of information acquired from many different disciplines. The aim of this 1999 book is to integrate discoveries in astronomy, planetology, palaeontology, biology and chemistry, and use this knowledge to present plausible scenarios that give us a better understanding of the likely origin of life on Earth. Twenty-three top experts contribute chapters that discuss everything from the environment and atmosphere of the early Earth, through the appearance of organic molecules in the prebiotic environment, to primitive chiral chemical systems capable of self-replication and evolution by mutation. The book also discusses various clues to the origin of life that can be obtained by a study of the past and present microbial world, as well as from Saturn's moon Titan and the planet Mars. Chemists, biologists, earth scientists, and astronomers will find this book a thought-provoking summary of our knowledge of this extraordinary event

Twenty-three top experts review recent discoveries in astronomy, paleontology, biology and chemistry, and use this knowledge to help us to understand the likely origin of life on Earth.

Booknews

Twenty-two European and American contributors from diverse scientific fields attempt to integrate recent discoveries in astronomy, planetology, paleontology, biology, and chemistry to present plausible scenarios describing the likely origin of life on Earth. Articles are organized into sections addressing introductory issues; organic molecules on the early Earth; possible starts for primitive life; clues from the bacterial world, and clues from other planets. The editor (and President of the International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life, among other societies) provides a substantial introduction to the history of the search for scientific origins and current theories in the field. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

"The aim of this book is to integrate the most recent discoveries in astronomy, planetology, paleontology, biology, and chemistry, and to use this knowledge to present plausible scenarios that give us a better understanding of the likely origin of life on Earth. Twenty-two top experts contribute to chapters that discuss everything from the environment and atmosphere of the early Earth, through the appearance of organic molecules in the prebiotic environment, to primitive chiral systems capable of self-replication and evolution by mutation. The book also discusses various clues to the origin of life that can be obtained from the study of the past and present microbial world, as well as from the planets Titan and Mars." "Chemists, biologists, Earth scientists, and astronomers will find that this book presents a thought-provoking summary of our current state of knowledge of this extraordinary event."--Jacket This 1999 book integrates discoveries in astronomy, palaeontology, biology and chemistry, and uses this knowledge to help us to understand the likely origin of life on Earth. Twenty-three top experts discuss everything from the environment and atmosphere of the early Earth, through the appearance of organic molecules, to chemical systems capable of self-replication and evolution. The origin and early evolution of our atmosphere is a subject that has been repeatedly explored during the last four decades, without a definitive conclusion having yet been reached.