The field of planetary biology and chemical evolution draws together experts in astronomy, paleobiology, biochemistry, and space science who work together to understand the evolution of living systems.
This field has made exciting discoveries that shed light on how organic compounds came together to form self-replicating molecules—the origin of life.
This volume updates that progress and offers recommendations on research programs—including an ambitious effort centered on Mars—to advance the field over the next 10 to 15 years.
The book presents a wide range of data and research results on these and other issues:
- The biogenic elements and their interaction in the interstellar clouds and in solar nebulae.
- Early planetary environments and the conditions that lead to the origin of life.
- The evolution of cellular and multicellular life.
- The search for life outside the solar system.
This volume will become required reading for anyone involved in the search for life's beginnings—including exobiologists, geoscientists, planetary scientists, and U.S. space and science policymakers.
- The Search for Life's Origins
- Copyright
- Foreword
- Contents
- Executive Summary
- OVERVIEW
- THE COSMIC HISTORY OF THE BIOGENIC ELEMENTS AND COMPOUNDS
- EARLY PLANETARY ENVIRONMENTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR CHEMICAL EVOLUTION AND THE ORIGIN OF LIFE
- THE ORIGIN OF LIFE
- THE EVOLUTION OF CELLULAR AND MULTICELLULAR LIFE
- SEARCH FOR LIFE OUTSIDE THE SOLAR SYSTEM
- MAJOR RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS
- Recommendations Requiring Flight Opportunities
- Mars
- Comets and Asteroids
- Titan and the Giant Outer Planets
- The Interstellar Medium and Cosmic Dust Particles
- Recommendations Requiring Ground-Based Studies
- Chemical Evolution and the Origin of Life
- Mars-Related Studies
- Studies Related to Comets and Asteroids
- Studies Related to Titan and the Giant Outer Planets
- Studies Related to the Interstellar Medium and Dust
- Studies Related to the Search for Life Outside the Solar System
- SPACE SCIENCE PROGRAM AND POLICY ISSUES
- 1 Overview
- 2 The Cosmic History of the Biogenic Elements and Compounds
- INTRODUCTION
- SYSTEMATIC STUDIES OF INTERSTELLAR CLOUDS
- COMPLEX MOLECULES
- STAR-FORMING REGIONS AND THE SUBMILLIMETER SPECTRAL RANGE
- GRAIN INTERRELATIONSHIPS
- INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY AND ASTRONOMY
- GRAIN INTERACTIONS
- ASTEROIDS
- METEORITES
- COMETS AND INTERPLANETARY DUST PARTICLES
- Comets
- Interplanetary Dust Particles
- Future Investigations
- 3 Early Planetary Environments: Implications for Chemical Evolution and the Origin of Life
- INTRODUCTION
- THE OUTER PLANETS
- THE TERRESTRIAL PLANETS
- Earth
- Accretion by Impacts
- Tectonics and the Development of Earth's Early Atmosphere and Hydrosphere
- Impacts and Their Influence on Environmental Conditions for the Origin Maintenance of Life
- Mars
- Aqueous Environments
- Differences between Mars and Earth
- Large Impacts on Mars
- Prospects for Chemical Evolution and the Origin of Life on Mars
- 4 The Origin of Life
- 5 The Evolution of Cellular and Multicellular Life
- INTRODUCTION
- PRIORITY CONSIDERATIONS
- 6 Search for Life outside the Solar System
- INTRODUCTION
- APPROACHES TO THE DETECTION OF LIFE OUTSIDE THE SOLAR SYSTEM
- SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVES
- MEASUREMENT REQUIREMENTS
- Detecting Extrasolar Planets
- Indirect Detection
- Direct Detection
- Studying Nebulae and Disks
- Spectroscopic Analyses of Planetary Atmospheres
- Searching for Extraterrestrial Technologies
- Technologies That Generate Electromagnetic Signals
- Technologies That Do Not Generate Electromagnetic Signals
- Available Measurement Accuracies
- 7 Major Research Recommendations
- RECOMMENDATIONS REQUIRING FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES
- Mars
- Comets and Asteroids
- Titan and the Giant Outer Planets
- The Interstellar Medium and Cosmic Dust Particles
- RECOMMENDATIONS REQUIRING GROUND-BASED STUDIES
- Chemical Evolution and the Origin of Life
- Mars-Related Studies
- Studies Related to Comets and Asteroids
- Studies Related to Titan and the Giant Outer Planets
- Studies Related to the Interstellar Medium and Dust
- Studies Related to the Search for Life outside the Solar System
- 8 Space Science Program and Policy Issues
- ACCESS TO MISSIONS
- MEASURES TO ENHANCE RESEARCH IN CHEMICAL EVOLUTION AND PLANETARY BIOLOGY
- References
- Glossary
- Appendix
- COMMISSION ON PHYSICAL SCIENCES, MATHEMATICS, AND RESOURCES
- Index
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