Panspermia is the concept that life can be passively transported through space on various bodies and seed, habitable planets and moons, which we are beginning to learn may exist in large numbers. It is an old idea, but not popular with those who prefer that life on Earth started on Earth, an alternative, also unproven hypothesis. This book updates the concept of panspermia in the light of new evidence on planet formation, molecular clouds, solar system motions, supernovae ejection mechanisms, etc. Thus, it is to be a book about newly understood prospects for the movement of life through space.
The novel approach presented in this book gives new insights into the panspermia theory and its connection with planetary formation and the evolution of galaxies. This offers a good starting point for future research proposals about exolife and a better perspective for empirical scrutiny of panspermia theory. Also, the key to understanding life in the universe is to understand that the planetary formation process is convolved with the evolution of stellar systems in their galactic environment. The book provides the synthesis of all these elements and give the readers an up-to-date insight on how panspermia might fit into the big picture.
Reihe
Sprache
Verlagsort
Zielgruppe
Maße
Höhe: 237 mm
Breite: 162 mm
Dicke: 23 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-1-119-64039-4 (9781119640394)
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Branislav Vukotic. Obtained his MSc. & Ph.D. from the University of Belgrade. He researches the astrobiological history of the Milky Way using probabilistic cellular automata and N-body simulations. He is the member of the Editorial Board of the Publications of the Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade and a vice-chair of the Management Board of the Astronomical Observatory in Belgrade.
Richard Gordon. Theoretical biologist with B.Sc. in Mathematics from the University of Chicago and PhD in Chemical Physics from the University of Oregon, retired from the Department of Radiology, University of Manitoba in 2011. He is presently at the Gulf Specimen Marine Lab & Aquarium, Panacea, Florida and Adjunct Professor, C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth & Development, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit Michigan. His interest in exobiology (now astrobiology) dates from 1960s undergraduate work on organic matter in the Orgueil meteorite with Edward Anders. He has published critical reviews of panspermia and the history of claims of life in meteorites.
Joseph Seckbach. Received his MSc. & Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and did a postdoctorate in Caltech, Pasadena, California. He led a group researching exobiology (extraterrestrial life, now called astrobiology) at UCLA and spent postdoctoral periods at UCLA, Tubingen, Munich and Harvard University. He served at Louisiana State University (LSU), Baton Rouge, LA, USA, as the first selected Chair for the Louisiana Sea Grant and Technology transfer. Professor Joseph Seckbach has edited over 35 books for major science publishers.
Herausgeber*in
University of Chicago
Bard College, New York
University of Belgrade, Serbia
