Origins and Evolution of Life: An Astrobiological Perspective

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511933875

Devoted to exploring questions about the origin and evolution of life in our Universe, this highly interdisciplinary book brings together a broad array of scientists. Thirty chapters assembled in eight major sections convey the knowledge accumulated and the richness of the debates generated by this challenging theme. The text explores the latest research on the conditions and processes that led to the emergence of life on Earth and, by extension, perhaps on other planetary bodies. Diverse sources of knowledge are integrated, from astronomical and geophysical data, to the role of water, the origin of minimal life properties and the oldest traces of biological activity on our planet. This text will not only appeal to graduate students but to the large body of scientists interested in the challenges presented by the origin of life, its evolution, and its possible existence beyond Earth.

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Contents

Frontmatter
pp i-iv
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Contents
pp v-vii
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List of contributors
pp viii-xii
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Foreword
pp xiii-xvi
- By William M. Irvine, University of Massachusetts and Goddard Center for Astrobiology
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Preface
pp xvii-xx
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Part I - What is life?
pp 1-2
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1 - Problems raised by a definition of life
pp 3-13
- By Michel Morange, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France
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2 - Some remarks about uses of cosmological anthropic ‘principles’
pp 14-25
- By Dominique Lambert, Université de Namur, Belgium
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3 - Minimal cell: the biologist's point of view
pp 26-46
- By Céline Brochier-Armanet, Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, Marseille, France
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4 - Minimal cell: the computer scientist's point of view
pp 47-65
- By Hugues Bersini, IRIDIA, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
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5 - Origins of life: computing and simulation approaches
pp 66-82
- By Bernard Billoud, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
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Part II - Astronomical and geophysical context of the emergence of life
pp 83-84
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6 - Organic molecules in the interstellar medium
pp 85-97
- By Cecilia Ceccarelli, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique, Grenoble, France, José Cernicharo, Centro de Astrobiología, Madrid, Spain
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7 - Cosmochemical evolution and the origin of life: insights from meteorites
pp 98-117
- By Sandra Pizzarello, Arizona State University, USA
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8 - Astronomical constraints on the emergence of life
pp 118-135
- By Matthieu Gounelle, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France, Thierry Montmerle, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, France
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9 - Formation of habitable planets
pp 136-153
- By John Chambers, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, USA
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10 - The concept of the galactic habitable zone
pp 154-166
- By Nicolas Prantzos, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, France
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11 - The young Sun and its influence on planetary atmospheres
pp 167-182
- By Manuel Güdel, Institute of Astronomy, Zurich, Switzerland, James Kasting, Penn State University, USA
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12 - Climates of the Earth
pp 183-202
- By Gilles Ramstein, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, Git sur Yvette, France
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Part III - The role of water in the emergence of life
pp 203-204
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13 - Liquid water: a necessary condition for all forms of life?
pp 205-217
- By Kristin Bartik, Chimie Organique, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium, Gilles Bruylants, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium, Emanuela Locci, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, Italy, Jacques Reisse, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
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14 - The role of water in the formation and evolution of planets
pp 218-233
- By Thérèse Encrenaz, Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, France
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15 - Water on Mars
pp 234-244
- By Jean-Pierre Bibring, Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, Orsay, France
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Part IV - From non-living systems to life
pp 245-246
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16 - Energetic constraints on prebiotic pathways: application to the emergence of translation
pp 247-258
- By Robert Pascal, Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, Montpellier, France, Laurent Boiteau, Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, Montpellier, France
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17 - Comparative genomics and early cell evolution
pp 259-269
- By Antonio Lazcano, UNAM, México
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18 - Origin and evolution of metabolisms
pp 270-288
- By Juli Peretó, Institut Cavanilles de Biodiversitat i Biologia Evolution, València, Spain
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Part V - Mechanisms for life evolution
pp 289-290
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19 - Molecular phylogeny: inferring the patterns of evolution
pp 291-312
- By Emmanuel Douzery, Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, Montpellier, France
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20 - Horizontal gene transfer: mechanisms and evolutionary consequences
pp 313-325
- By David Moreira, Unité d'Ecologie, Système et Evolution, Orsay, France
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An Astrobiological Perspective

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