| Title: | Life everywhere : the maverick science of astrobiology |
| Authors: | David Darling |
| Material Type: | book |
| Publisher: | [S.l.] : The Perseus Books, 2001 |
| ISBN / ISSN / EAN : | 978-0-465-01563-4 |
| Format: | 25 cm |
| Bibliography note: | Includes bibliographical references and index |
| Languages: | English |
| Subjects: | Exobiology ; Life--Origin |
| Description: |
For many people, the main question about extraterrestrial life is wether or not it exists. To much of the scientific community, however, that question has already been answered: It does. And it's probably within our own solar system. The scientists who believe in extraterrestrial life are staking their careers, research funds, and prestige that they're right. Institutions are doing so as well -NASA has its Institute of Astrobiology, the University of Washington, its Department of Astrobiology. Their high-stakes ganble is giving rise to a new science of life on other worlds. Meanwhile, the pace of discovery in astrobiology has been absolutely breathtaking. These discoveries all point in one direction: Life is easier to start up, inhabits a greater range of environments, and has many more possible sites than we once thought. There seems to be little doubt that it's common in the universe and that finding it is only a matter of time. What next? That's where things get interesting, and what "Life everywhere" is all about. How are we going to create a science of astrobiology? What do astrobiologists want to know? Extraterrestrial life is hugely important, not for the simple fact of its existence but for what it can tell us about life everywhere. Once scientists have more than one example to look at, they can begin to understand the evolution of life on Earth. They can learn which aspects of Earth's history are one-of-a-kind accidents and which ones arise from broad principles governing the emergence and rise of life generally. The discovery of life on other planets will be one of the great turning points in human history. "Life everywhere" tells why many scientists think that discovery is inevitable, and what they think we will learn from it. |
| Format : | In print |
| Permalink: | https://isulibrary.isunet.edu/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=4475 |
Holdings (1)
| Barcode | Call number | Section | Status | Donated by | Digital bookplate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 009081 | QH327.D37 2001 | Main collection | Available |
