Questions? Call 888-624-8373

E-mail This Facebook Digg StumbleUpon Twitter More

The Limits of Organic Life in Planetary Systems

Book Cover

Status: Available Now

Size: 116 pages, 8.5 x 11

Publication Year:2007

Print	List Price	Your Price

PAPERBACK ISBN-10: 0-309-10484-X ISBN-13: 978-0-309-10484-5	$30.25	$27.23	Add to Cart

PDF

Authors:
Committee on the Limits of Organic Life in Planetary Systems, Committee on the Origins and Evolution of Life, National Research Council
Authoring Organizations

Description:
The search for life in the solar system and beyond has to date been governed by a model based on what we know about life on Earth (terran life). Most of NASA's mission planning is focused on locations where ...
Read More

Click here to view
and download Podcast(s)

Paste into your Web page:

<!-- Start NAP Book Display -->
<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" width="175" height="250" id="napbookwrapper" align="middle">
<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" />
<param name="movie" value="http://www.nap.edu/napbookwrapper.swf" />
<param name="quality" value="high" />
<param name="wmode" value="transparent" />
<param name="flashvars" value="wid=381071911172010021004351&record_id=11919" />
<embed src="http://www.nap.edu/napbookwrapper.swf" quality="high" flashvars="wid=381071911172010021004351&record_id=11919" wmode="transparent" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="175" height="250" name="napbookwrapper" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="always" allowFullScreen="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>
</object>

Free Resources

Full Text
Jump to this book's table of contents to begin reading online for free.

Web Search Builder
Use this book's key terms to search within this book, across our collection, or across the Web.

Reference Finder
Paste in your own text to find books that relate to your topic.

PDF Summary
Download the summary in PDF.

Podcast
Download the related Podcast for this title.

Reprint Permission
Request permission to license or reprint the book's content through Copyright Clearance Center's Rightslink.

Request Permission to Distribute a PDF

Request Translation Rights

Questions About Rights and Permissions?

Table of Contents
Select a link below to start reading online free!
Front Matter	i-xvi
Executive Summary	1-4	(skim)
1 Introduction	5-10	(skim)
2 A Sketch of the Chemistry Behind Known Carbon-based Life on Earth	11-28	(skim)
3 Pushing the Boundaries of Life	29-42	(skim)
4 Alternatives to Terran Biochemistry in Water	43-52	(skim)
5 Origin of Life	53-68	(skim)
6 Why Water? Toward More Exotic Habitats	69-79	(skim)
7 Life Detection and Biomarkers	80-83	(skim)
8 Conclusions and Recommendations	84-88	(skim)
Appendix A Glossary	89-96	(skim)
Appendix B Biographies of Committee Members and Staff	97-100	(skim)

Description

The search for life in the solar system and beyond has to date been governed by a model based on what we know about life on Earth (terran life). Most of NASA's mission planning is focused on locations where liquid water is possible and emphasizes searches for structures that resemble cells in terran organisms. It is possible, however, that life exists that is based on chemical reactions that do not involve carbon compounds, that occurs in solvents other than water, or that involves oxidation-reduction reactions without oxygen gas. To assist NASA incorporate this possibility in its efforts to search for life, the NRC was asked to carry out a study to evaluate whether nonstandard biochemistry might support life in solar system and conceivable extrasolar environments, and to define areas to guide research in this area. This book presents an exploration of a limited set of hypothetical chemistries of life, a review of current knowledge concerning key questions or hypotheses about nonterran life, and suggestions for future research.

Authoring Organizations

Search This Book

»Find more like this book

SIGN UP FOR...

New Title Emails
Read about the newest releases and receive special offers.

PODCAST: ARE WE ALONE? THE LIMITS OF ORGANIC LIFE IN PLANETARY SYSTEMS

Listen Now
Download [10 mB]
More Podcasts