Rare Earth - Why Complex Life is Unkown in the Universe

In this exciting new book, distinguished paleontologist Peter D. Ward and noted astronomer Donald Brownlee team up to present a fascinating synthesis of what is now known about the development of life on Earth and how this sheds light on possibilities for organic life forms elsewhere in the Universe. With their broad expertise and wonderful descriptive imagery, the authors provide a compelling argument, a splendid introduction to the emerging field of astrobiology, and a lively discussion of the remarkable findings that are currently being generated.

Table des matières

Preface & Acknowledgments.- Introduction: The Astrobiology Revolution and the Rare Earth Hypothesis.- Why Life Might be Widespread in the Universe.- Habitable Zones of the Universe.- Building a Habitable Earth.- Lifes First Evolution on Earth.- How to Build Animals.- Snowball Earth.- The Enigma of Cambrian Explosion.- Mass Extinctions and the Rare Earth Hypothesis.- The Surprising Importance of Plate Tectonics.- The Moon, Jupiter, and Life on Earth.- Testing the Rare Earth Hypothesis.- Assessing the Odds.- Cultural Implications.- References.

Détails du produit

• Auteurs: Donald Brownlee, Peter D. Ward
• Edition: Springer, Berlin
• Langues: Anglais
• Format d'édition: Livre Relié
• Sortie: 01.01.1999
• EAN: 9780387987019
• ISBN: 978-0-387-98701-9
• Pages: 333
• Poids: 744 g
• Illustrations: w. figs.
• Catégorie: Sciences naturelles, médecine, informatique, technique > Physique, astronomie > Astronomie