Life in the Universe

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Cover Brief Contents Detailed Contents Preface About the Authors How to Succeed in Your Astrobiology Course Part I. Introducing Life in the Universe 1. A Universe of Life? 1.1 The Possibility of Life Beyond Earth 1.2 The Scientific Context of the Search 1.3 Places to Search 1.4 The Science of Astrobiology Exercises and Problems MOVIE MADNESS. Cinema Aliens 2. The Science of Life in the Universe 2.1 The Ancient Debate About Life Beyond Earth 2.2 The Copernican Revolution 2.3 The Nature of Modern Science 2.4 THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE IN ACTION. The Fact and Theory of Gravity Exercises and Problems DO THE MATH 2.1. Kepler’s Third Law SPECIAL TOPIC 2.1: Geocentrism and the Church MOVIE MADNESS. Gravity 3. The Universal Context of Life 3.1 The Universe and Life 3.2 The Structure, Scale, and History of the Universe 3.3 A Universe of Matter and Energy 3.4 Our Solar System 3.5 THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE IN ACTION. Ongoing Development of the Nebular Theory Exercises and Problems KEY ASTRONOMICAL DEFINITIONS DO THE MATH 3.1. How Far Is a Light-Year? SPECIAL TOPIC 3.1. How Do We Know That the Universe Is Expanding? MOVIE MADNESS. Interstellar Part II. Life on Earth 4. The Habitability of Earth 4.1 Geology and Life 4.2 Reconstructing the History of Earth and Life 4.3 The Hadean Earth and the Dawn of Life 4.4 Geology and Habitability 4.5 Climate Regulation and Change 4.6 THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE IN ACTION Formation of the Moon Exercises and Problems DO THE MATH 4.1. Radiometric Dating KEY GEOLOGICAL DEFINITIONS MOVIE MADNESS. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs 5. The Nature of Life on Earth 5.1 Defining Life 5.2 Cells: The Basic Units of Life 5.3 Metabolism: The Chemistry of Life 5.4 DNA and Heredity 5.5 Life at the Extreme 5.6 THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE IN ACTION Evolution as Science Exercises and Problems KEY BIOLOGICAL DEFINITIONS SPECIAL TOPIC 5.1. Charles Darwin and the Theory of Evolution DO THE MATH 5.1. The Dominant Form of Life on Earth MOVIE MADNESS. War of the Worlds 6. The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth 6.1 Searching for Life’s Origins 6.2 The Origin of Life 6.3 The Evolution of Life 6.4 Impacts and Extinctions 6.5 Human Evolution 6.6 THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE IN ACTION. Artificial Life Exercises and Problems DO THE MATH 6.1. Bacteria in a Bottle I: Lessons for Early Life MOVIE MADNESS. Armageddon DO THE MATH 6.2. Bacteria in a Bottle II: Lessons for the Human Race Part III. Life in the Solar System 7. Searching for Life in Our Solar System 7.1 Environmental Requirements for Life 7.2 A Biological Tour of the Inner Solar System 7.3 A Biological Tour of the Outer Solar System 7.4 THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE IN ACTION. Spacecraft Exploration of the Solar System Exercises and Problems MOVIE MADNESS. 2001: A Space Odyssey DO THE MATH 7.1. Newton’s Version of Kepler’s Third Law 8. Mars 8.1 Fantasies of Martian Civilization 8.2 A Modern Portrait of Mars 8.3 The Climate History of Mars 8.4 Searching for Life on Mars 8.5 THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE IN ACTION. Martian Meteorites Exercises and Problems DO THE MATH 8.1. The Surface Area–to–Volume Ratio MOVIE MADNESS. The Martian 9. Life on Jovian Moons 9.1 The Moons of the Outer Solar System 9.2 Life on Jupiter’s Galilean Moons 9.3 Life Elsewhere in the Solar System 9.4 THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE IN ACTION Chemical Energy for Life Exercises and Problems DO THE MATH 9.1. The Strength of the Tidal Force MOVIE MADNESS 2010: The Year We Make Contact 10. The Nature and Evolution of Habitability 10.1 The Concept of a Habitable Zone 10.2 Venus: An Example in Potential Habitability 10.3 Surface Habitability Factors and the Habitable Zone 10.4 The Future of Life on Earth 10.5 THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE IN ACTION Global Warming: Science, Consequences, and Solutions Exercises and Problems DO THE MATH 10.1. Chances of Being in the Zone SPECIAL TOPIC 10.1. How Long Is 5 Billion Years? MOVIE MADNESS. Wall-E Part IV. Life Among the Stars 11. Exoplanets: Their Nature and Potential Habitability 11.1 Distant Suns 11.2 Discovering Exoplanets 11.3 The Number and Nature of Exoplanets 11.4 The Habitability of Exoplanets 11.5 THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE IN ACTION Classifying Stars Exercises and Problems DO THE MATH 11.1. Finding Orbital Distances for Exoplanets DO THE MATH 11.2. Finding Masses of Exoplanets DO THE MATH 11.3. Finding Sizes of Exoplanets SPECIAL TOPIC 11.1. The Names of Exoplanets MOVIE MADNESS. Star Wars 12. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence 12.1 The Drake Equation 12.2 The Question of Intelligence 12.3 Searching for Intelligence 12.4 THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE IN ACTION UFOs and Aliens on Earth Exercises and Problems SPECIAL TOPIC 12.1. Frank Drake and His Equation DO THE MATH 12.1. The Distance Between Signaling Societies MOVIE MADNESS. Contact 13. Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox 13.1 The Challenge of Interstellar Travel 13.2 Spacecraft for Interstellar Travel 13.3 The Fermi Paradox 13.4 THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE IN ACTION. Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity Exercises and Problems DO THE MATH 13.1. The Rocket Equation DO THE MATH 13.2. Time Dilation MOVIE MADNESS. Star Trek Epilogue: Contact—Implications for the Search and Discovery Exercises and Problems MOVIE MADNESS. E.T Answers to Quick Quiz Questions Appendixes A. Useful Numbers B. Useful Formulas C. A Few Mathematical Skills D. The Periodic Table of the Elements E. The Solar System F. List of Learning Objectives Glossary Credits Index