
Life in Space
Description
Alles über E-Books | Antworten auf Fragen rund um E-Books, Kopierschutz und Dateiformate finden Sie in unserem Info- & Hilfebereich.
Over the last two decades alone, new technology and space missions have profoundly changed our understanding of prospective extraterrestrial life in the universe. The resulting field of astrobiology has become a highly eclectic and interdisciplinary pursuit, encompassing many of the natural sciences and holding ramifications for nearly all other areas of study. Co-written by an astrophysicist and a biologist, this introductory undergraduate textbook presents an overview of astrobiology for students from all backgrounds. Addressed in its chapters are the recent detection of potentially habitable planets and the prospects for detecting biosignatures and life; the celestial and geological factors that enabled the appearance and evolution of life on Earth; and other factors that continue to affect life up to the present, such as climate change. Based on over twenty years of university coursework, and in particular the authors' own interdisciplinary astrobiology curriculum, the text is accessible not just for the budding science major, but for any undergraduate student or lay reader excited by the prospect of life in the universe.
Reviews / Votes
"Drs. Wandel and Gale have put together a great deal of good work to produce a new very impressive book on the vast subject of Life Beyond Earth. ... Most of the writings on extraterrestrial life are long on speculation and ungrounded philosophizing. In refreshing contrast, 'Life in Space' brings all the solid scientific foundations needed to understand The Science of Astrobiology. . I am so glad to have this wonderful resource to share with my colleagues, friends, and students." (Matthew Malkan, International Journal of Astrobiology, Vol. 25, 2026)
More details
Other editions
Additional editions

Persons
Dr. Amri Wandel, Astrophysicist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has created and taught for 25 years the course "Astrophysics and Life in the Universe", to science and non-science undergraduate programs, each with about a hundred students annually, and a similar course at the astronomy program at UCLA. He frequently gives public talks and media interviews on astrobiology. His main research has been on active galaxies and massive black holes, and in the last years on astrobiology, in particular about the habitability of exoplanets. Wandel has published over 100 scientific papers and the books "The Cosmos and Us" (in Esperanto 2001, 2017, 2022) and "Astrophysics and Life in the Universe" (in Hebrew, 2022). He is Chairman of the Israel society for Astrobiology and the Origin of Life (ILASOL), and member of the International Astronomical Union's commission of astrobiology.
Dr. Joseph Gale, Biologist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, carried out research and served for some years as consultant to NASA's CELSS project (Controlled Environment Life Support Systems). From there he became interested in the exobiology program, later called astrobiology. Gale has built and taught a program on "The Astrobiology of Planet Earth" an elective for third year science students, which over the last decade attracts some one hundred students each year. He has lectured at numerous national and international conferences. In the last years, he has been invited to participate in astrobiology seminars of the University of Stockholm and the International Space University. Gale has published some 100+ refereed papers and authored and coauthored four books, including "Plants in Saline Environments" (Springer-Verlag 1975) and "Astrobiology of Earth" (OUP 2009).
Content
System requirements
File format: PDF
Copy protection: Watermark-DRM (Digital Rights Management)
System requirements:
- Computer (Windows; MacOS X; Linux): Use the free software Adobe Reader, Adobe Digital Editions, or any other PDF viewer of your choice (see eBook Help).
- Tablet/Smartphone (Android; iOS): Install the free app Adobe Digital Editions or another reading app for eBooks, e.g., PocketBook (see eBook Help).
- E-reader: Bookeen, Kobo, Pocketbook, Sony, Tolino and many more (only limited: Kindle).
The file format PDF always displays a book page identically on any hardware. This makes PDF suitable for complex layouts such as those used in textbooks and reference books (images, tables, columns, footnotes). Unfortunately, on the small screens of e-readers or smartphones, PDFs are rather annoying, requiring too much scrolling.
This eBook uses Watermark-DRM, a „soft” copy protection. This means that there are no technical restrictions to prevent illegal distribution. However, there is a personalised watermark embedded in the eBook that can be used to identify the purchaser of the eBook in the event of misuse and to provide evidence for legal purposes.
For more information, see our eBook Help page.