Life in the Universe [Hardcover]

Dirk Schulze-Makuch (Author), Louis N. Irwin (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 3540206272 | ISBN-13: 978-3540206279 | Publication Date: November 19, 2004 | Edition: 1

Energy, chemistry, solvents, and habitats - the basic elements of living systems - define the opportunities and limitations for life on other worlds. This study examines each of these parameters in crucial depth and makes the argument that life forms we would recognize may be more common in our solar system than many assume. It also considers, however, exotic forms of life that would not have to rely on carbon as the basic chemical element, solar energy as the main energy source, or water as the primary solvent. Finally the question of detecting bio- and geosignature of such life forms is discussed, ranging from earth environments to deep space. While speculative considerations in this emerging field of science cannot be avoided, the authors have tried to present their study with the breadth and seriousness that a scientific approach to this issue requires. They seek an operational definition of life and investigate the realm of possibilities that nature offers to realize this very special state of matter and avoid scientific jargon wherever possible to make this intrinsically interdisciplinary subject understandable to a broad range of readers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews:

"I would be happy to use this as a text when teaching undergraduate level astrobiology and would certainly recommend it as a good introduction for postgraduates." (Monica M. Grady Meteoritics and Planetary Science 2005, vol. 40, page 507-508)

"This book is […] an in-depth, critical look at the chemical and physical requirements of known living; it also considers the possibilities of some highly speculative environments and living systems. The writing is excellent and, despite the technical nature of the subject, should be understandable for those with minimal exposure to math, physics, chemistry, and astronomy." (P. R. Douville, Choice May 2005, vol. 42, page 459)

"This book provides an articulate overview of Astrobiology in the Springer Advances in Astrobiology and Biogeophysics series. It contains an introduction chapter that is essentially a summary of the book, a chapter outlining definitions used, then seven more chapters describing the history of life, known energy sources for life, types of building blocks, potential solvents, known and possible habitats, examples of exotic life forms, and signatures of life. This is an excellent Astrobiology primer and I highly recommend this as a good reference for all scientists in the field of Astrobiology." (Janice Bishop, Icarus 178 (2005), page 289-290)

"The honest approach of this book’s authors is stimulating; readers will feel invited to think about problems more deeply, and find solutions of their own – in short, the book is educational! What could be better than that in the field of astrobiology, a scientific discipline that is still in the process of defining itself?" (Ph. D. Helga Stan-Lotter, Astrobiology 2004, Vol. 4, Number 3)

"The great merit of this work is its attempt to define a restricted set of circumstances under which living systems could arise elsewhere in the universe, with getting rid of the commonplace assumptions about the nature of life […] it is clear that this work introduces new and exciting possibilities into the debate on the strategy for detecting life elsewhere in the universe." (Florence Raulin-Cerceau & Francois Raulin, Planetary Space and Sciences 2005)

"This book provides an articulate overview of Astrobiology … . This is an excellent Astrobiology primer and I highly recommend this as a good reference for all scientists in the field of Astrobiology. It nicely covers many topics introduced at recent Astrobiology Science Conferences such as the Drake equation, challenges in defining life … . this is an excellent interdisciplinary Astrobiology introduction that I recommend for many a bookshelf." (Janice Bishop, ICARUS, Vol. 178, 2005)

"Exobiology, or life on other worlds … . With the upsurge of interest has come a host of books … . This book goes more scientifically and embraces the conviction that life is not restricted to our planet. … is written with a particular emphasis on the scientific rationale for what one should be seeking, and how one should be looking for it.. … The book … study of both structure and evolution of planetary ecosystems. The hard cover book is nicely edited following Springer’s high-quality standards." (Roland Carchon, Physicalia, Vol. 73 (3), 2005)

"Life in the universe … is the latest in a plethora of books about astrobiology ranging from graduate level texts to popular accounts. … an excellent addition to the canon. … This book is well written and illustrated … . I would be happy to use this as a text when teaching undergraduate level astrobiology and would certainly recommend it as a good introduction for postgraduates. … a good and valuable contribution to the rapidly growing field of astrobiology." (Monica M. Grady, Meteoritics & Planetary Science, Vol. 40 (3), 2005)

"Many books have been written on the possibility of alien life somewhere in the universe … . This book is no mere repetition of earlier works, but an in-depth, critical look at the chemical and physical requirements of known living systems … . The writing is excellent … . Summing Up: Highly recommended. Library collections supporting readers interested in the meaning of life on Earth or elsewhere, at the lower undergraduate level and above." (P.R. Douville, CHOICE, Vol. 42 (9), May, 2005)

"This book reflects the conviction that life is not restricted to planet Earth. The objective is to make a critical scientific analysis … required for the sustenance of life. It is written with particular emphasis … making predictions about some likely characteristics of other life forms." (Book News on the Internet, January, 2005)

"In recent years there has been an explosion in the number of books written about life in places other than on Earth. … The book is a serious attempt to describe the fundamental features of life as we know it and to explore the possibilities of other forms of life existing. Extensive references are provided to both justify the facts that are used and to enable interested readers to study the evidence in more detail." (Dr. C. M. Linton, Contemporary Physics, Vol. 46 (6), 2005)

"I found the book a fascinating blend of serious scientific analysis of what life is and a philosophical evaluation of what it could be. … The book is well written and readable for an educated non-specialist. … All in all, I enjoyed reading this book. … There are also useful tables summarizing various characteristics described in the chapter and their relevance to life in the universe. Relevant figures also provide useful visual aids. I recommend this book for interested non-specialists … ." (EGGS Newsletter, Issue 13, October, 2005)

From the Back Cover

Energy, chemistry, solvents, and habitats -- the basic elements of living systems - define the opportunities and limitations for life on other worlds. This class-tested text examines each of these parameters in crucial depth and makes the argument that life forms we would recognize may be more common in our solar system than many assume. It also considers, however, exotic forms of life that would not have to rely on carbon as basic chemical element, solar energy as a main energy source, or water as primary solvent. Finally the question of detecting bio- and geosignature of such life forms is discussed, ranging from Earth environments to deep space. While speculative considerations in this emerging field of science cannot be avoided, the authors have tried to present their study with the breadth and seriousness that a scientific approach to this issue requires. They seek an operational definition of life and investigate the realm of possibilities that nature offers to realize this very special state of matter and avoid scientific jargon wherever possible to make this intrinsically interdisciplinary subject understandable to a broad range of readers. The second edition thoroughly updates this text in view of the rapid progress in the field and a substantial amount of new material has been added, in particular sections and chapters on adaptation to extreme environments, the future and fate of living systems, life detection concepts based on the thorough analysis of the Viking missions and the issue around the meteorite ALH 84001, and - last but not least - recommendations for the optimization of future space exploration missions. From the reviews of the first edition: "[...] I know of no other book that reassesses the fundamentals of astrobiology in such way. This book is a tacit lesson in open-mindedness tempered with thorough scientific analysis. This is a very important book for all professional astrobiologists." A Ellery, International Journal of Astrobiology, 6 (2007) 182-183 --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (November 19, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3540206272
• ISBN-13: 978-3540206279
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,494,255 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful insights on the potential for life elsewhere, October 14, 2004

By 

Jill Malter ([e-mail]) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Life in the Universe (Hardcover)

This is not a comprehensive astrobiology text. Instead, it pursues a few key topics to a depth rarely found in other works. These include the definition of life, lessons from the history of life on Earth, possible sources for life, the importance of carbon as opposed to silicon, alternatives to water as a solvent, and signatures of life. It's well worth reading for anyone who is interested in the topic.