Synopsis:
Astrobiology is an exciting new subject, and one, arguably, more interdisciplinary than any other. Astrobiologists seek to understand the origin and evolution of life on Earth in order to illuminate and guide the search for life on other planets. In this Very Short Introduction, David C. Catling introduces the subject through our understanding of the factors that allowed life to arise and persist on our own planet, and for the signs we are looking for in the search for extraterrestrial life.
About the Series:
Oxford's Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how the subject has developed and how it has influenced society. Eventually, the series will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the area of study that one deems important or appealing, whatever the topic that fascinates the general reader, the Very Short Introductions series has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable.
From the Inside Flap:
How did life originate on Earth? Is it unique to this planet? What should we look for in seeking other inhabited worlds?
These are the central questions of Astrobiology. Space missions have given us intriguing close-up views of planets and moons within the Solar System, and we now know that there are many planets around other stars. We are also learning more about the remarkable range of microbes and finding signs of very early life on Earth. In this Very Short Introduction, David C. Catling describes what we know about how life arose on Earth and the habitability of other worlds, and the clues these provide in the search for extraterrestrial life.
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