How Molecular Forces and Rotating Planets Create Life
The Emergence and Evolution of Prokaryotic Cells
Published on 9. February 2021
Book
Hardback
240 pages
978-0-262-04557-5 (ISBN)
Description
A reconceptualization of origins research that exploits a modern understanding of non-covalent molecular forces that stabilize living prokaryotic cells.
Scientific research into the origins of life remains exploratory and speculative. Science has no definitive answer to the biggest questions--"What is life?" and "How did life begin on earth?" In this book, Jan Spitzer reconceptualizes origins research by exploiting a modern understanding of non-covalent molecular forces and covalent bond formation--a physicochemical approach propounded originally by Linus Pauling and Max Delbrück. Spitzer develops the Pauling-Delbrück premise as a physicochemical jigsaw puzzle that identifies key stages in life's emergence, from the formation of first oceans, tidal sediments, and proto-biofilms to progenotes, proto-cells and the first cellular organisms.
Scientific research into the origins of life remains exploratory and speculative. Science has no definitive answer to the biggest questions--"What is life?" and "How did life begin on earth?" In this book, Jan Spitzer reconceptualizes origins research by exploiting a modern understanding of non-covalent molecular forces and covalent bond formation--a physicochemical approach propounded originally by Linus Pauling and Max Delbrück. Spitzer develops the Pauling-Delbrück premise as a physicochemical jigsaw puzzle that identifies key stages in life's emergence, from the formation of first oceans, tidal sediments, and proto-biofilms to progenotes, proto-cells and the first cellular organisms.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge (Massachusetts)
United States
Publishing group
MIT Press Ltd
Illustrations
21 black and white illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 159 mm
Width: 236 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
530 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-262-04557-5 (9780262045575)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Jan Spitzer
How Molecular Forces and Rotating Planets Create Life
The Emergence and Evolution of Prokaryotic Cells
E-Book
02/2021
MIT Press
€58.99
Available for download
Person
Jan Spitzer, a PhD in Physical Chemistry from Queen Elizabeth College at the University of London, has had a long career in chemistry and polymer science, as Associate Professor, and Research and Development Manager in synthetic latex industry. He is the author or coauthor of numerous peer-reviewed papers, technical articles, and book chapters.
Content
Series Foreword xv
A Note about This “Story” xvii
Preface xix
Acknowledgments xxv
Introduction: A Physicochemical Framework for Origins Research 1
1 Understanding Biological Matter 19
2 Defining the Origins Problem 31
3 Structured Bacterial Life: No Bag of Enzymes 53
4 Bacterial Non-covalent Forces and Phase Separation 65
5 Bacterial Crowding and Vectorial Organization 85
6 The Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces 103
7 The Physicochemical Roots of Darwinian Evolution 129
8 An Unexplored Experimental Paradigm of Cyclic Processes 141
Summary 157
Appendix: Screened Electrostatic Interactions in Crowded Colloidal Systems 165
Notes 171
References 191
Index 217
A Note about This “Story” xvii
Preface xix
Acknowledgments xxv
Introduction: A Physicochemical Framework for Origins Research 1
1 Understanding Biological Matter 19
2 Defining the Origins Problem 31
3 Structured Bacterial Life: No Bag of Enzymes 53
4 Bacterial Non-covalent Forces and Phase Separation 65
5 Bacterial Crowding and Vectorial Organization 85
6 The Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces 103
7 The Physicochemical Roots of Darwinian Evolution 129
8 An Unexplored Experimental Paradigm of Cyclic Processes 141
Summary 157
Appendix: Screened Electrostatic Interactions in Crowded Colloidal Systems 165
Notes 171
References 191
Index 217