Life in the Universe, 5th Edition
544
Life in the Universe, 5th Edition
544Paperback(5th ed.)
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Overview
Are we alone in the cosmos? How are scientists seeking signs of life beyond our home planet? Could we colonize other planets, moons, or even other star systems? This introductory textbook, written by a team of four renowned science communicators, educators, and researchers, tells the amazing story of how modern science is seeking the answers to these and other fascinating questions. They are the questions that are at the heart of the highly interdisciplinary field of astrobiology, the study of life in the universe.
Written in an accessible, conversational style for anyone intrigued by the possibilities of life in the solar system and beyond, Life in the Universe is an ideal place to start learning about the latest discoveries and unsolved mysteries in the field. From the most recent missions to Saturn’s moons and our neighboring planet Mars to revolutionary discoveries of thousands of exoplanets, from the puzzle of life’s beginning on Earth to the latest efforts in the search for intelligent life elsewhere, this book captures the imagination and enriches the reader’s understanding of how astronomers, planetary scientists, biologists, and other scientists make progress at the cutting edge of this dynamic field. Enriched with a wealth of engaging features, this textbook brings any citizen of the cosmos up to speed with the scientific quest to discover whether we are alone or part of a universe full of life.
- An acclaimed text designed to inspire students of all backgrounds to explore foundational questions about life in the cosmos
- Completely revised and updated to include the latest developments in the field, including recent exploratory space missions to Mars, frontier exoplanet science, research on the origin of life on Earth, and more
- Enriched with helpful learning aids, including in-chapter Think about It questions, optional Do the Math and Special Topic boxes, Movie Madness boxes, end-of-chapter exercises and problems, quick quizzes, and much more
- Supported by instructor’s resources, including an illustration package and test bank, available upon request
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780691241784 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Princeton University Press |
| Publication date: | 08/23/2022 |
| Edition description: | 5th ed. |
| Pages: | 544 |
| Product dimensions: | 8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x (d) |
About the Author
Table of Contents
Preface viii
About the Authors xv
How to Succeed in Your Astrobiology Course xvii
Part I Introducing Life in the Universe
1 A Universe of Life? 1
1.1 The Possibility of Life Beyond Earth 2
1.2 The Scientific Context of the Search 4
1.3 Places to Search 7
1.4 The Science of Astrobiology 10
Exercises and Problems 12
Movie madness Cinema Aliens 9
2 The Science of Life in the Universe 14
2.1 The Ancient Debate About Life Beyond Earth 15
2.2 The Copernican Revolution 22
2.3 The Nature of Modern Science 29
2.4 The Process of Science in Action
The Fact and Theory of Gravity 36
Exercises and Problems 41
Do the math 2.1 Kepler's Third Law 26
Special topic 2.1: Geocentrism and the Church 28
Movie madness Gravity 36
3 The Universal Context of Life 45
3.1 The Universe and Life 46
3.2 The Structure, Scale, and History of the Universe 47
3.3 A Universe of Matter and Energy 64
3.4 Our Solar System 72
3.5 The process of science in action Ongoing Development of the Nebular Theory 86
Exercises and Problems 92
Key astronomical definitions 49
Do the math 3.1 How Far Is a Light-Year? 51
Special topic 3.1 How Do We Know That the Universe Is Expanding? 56
Movie madness Intersteller 64
Part II List on Earth
4 The Habitability of Earth 97
4.1 Geology and Life 98
4.2 Reconstructing the History of Earth and Life 99
4.3 The Hadean Earth and the Dawn of Life 110
4.4 Geology and Habitability 114
4.5 Climate Regulation and Change 124
4.6 The process of science in action Formation of the Moon 130
Exercises and Problems 135
Do the math 4.1 Radiometric Dating 106
Key Geological Definitions 111
Movie madness Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs 116
5 The Nature of Life on Earth 139
5.1 Defining Life 140
5.2 Cells: The Basic Units of Life 148
5.3 Metabolism: The Chemistry of Life 155
5.4 DNA and Heredity 158
5.5 Life at the Extreme 164
5.6 The process of science in action Evolution as Science 169
Exercises and Problems 174
Key Biological Definitions 143
Special topic 5.1 Charles Darwin and the Theory of Evolution 147
Do the math 5.1 The Dominant Form of Life on Earth 154
Movie madness War of the Worlds 165
6 The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth 177
6.1 Searching for Life's Origins 178
6.2 The Origin of Life 182
6.3 The Evolution of Life 190
6.4 Impacts and Extinctions 198
6.5 Human Evolution 206
6.6 The process of science in action Artificial Life 210
Exercises and Problems 216
Do the math 6.1 Bacteria in a Bottle I: Lessons for Early Life 188
Movie madness Armageddon 206
Do the math 6.2 Bacteria in a Bottle II: Lessons for the Human Race 210
Part III Life in the Solar System
7 Searching for Life in Our Solar System 219
7.1 Environmental Requirements for Life 220
7.2 A Biological Tour of the Inner Solar System 225
7.3 A Biological Tour of the Outer Solar System 229
7.4 The process of science in action Spacecraft Exploration of the Solar System 234
Exercises and Problems 240
Movie madness 2001: A Space Odyssey 231
Do the math 7.1 Newton's Version of Kepler's Third Law 234
8 Mars 243
8.1 Fantasies of Martian Civilization 244
8.2 A Modern Portrait of Mars 246
8.3 The Climate History of Mars 262
8.4 Searching for Life on Mars 266
8.5 The process of science in action Martian Meteorites 272
Exercises and Problems 276
Do the math 8.1 The Surface Area-to-Volume Ratio 265
Movie madness The Martian 267
9 Life on Jovian Moons 279
9.1 The Moons of the Outer Solar System 280
9.2 Life on Jupiter's Galilean Moons 288
9.3 Life Elsewhere in the Solar System 296
9.4 The process of science in action Chemical Energy for Life 304
Exercises and Problems 309
Do the math 9.1 The Strength of the Tidal Force 286
Movie madness 2010: The Year We Make Contact 295
10 The Nature and Evolution of Habitability 312
10.1 The Concept of a Habitable Zone 313
10.2 Venus: An Example in Potential Habitability 315
10.3 Surface Habitability Factors and the Habitable Zone 321
10.4 The Future of Life on Earth 326
10.5 The process of science in action Global Warming: Science, Consequences, and Solutions 330
Exercises and Problems 345
Do the math 10.1 Chances of Being in the Zone 323
Special topic 10.1 How Long Is 5 Billion Years? 329
Movie madness Wall-E 330
Part IV Life Among the Stars
11 Exoplanets: Their Nature and Potential Habitability 349
11.1 Distant Suns 350
11.2 Discovering Exoplanets 358
11.3 The Number and Nature of Exoplanets 374
11.4 The Habitability of Exoplanets 380
11.5 The process of science in action Classifying Stars 387
Exercises and Problems 393
Do the math 11.1 Finding Orbital Distances for Exoplanets 371
Do the math 11.2 Finding Masses of Exoplanets 372
Do the math 11.3 Finding Sizes of Exoplanets 373
Special topic 11.1 The Names of Exoplanets 379
Movie madness Star Wars 383
12 The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence 397
12.1 The Drake Equation 398
12.2 The Question of Intelligence 402
12.3 Searching for Intelligence 406
12.4 The process of science in action UFOs and Aliens on Earth 420
Exercises and Problems 428
Special topic 12.1 Frank Drake and His Equation 401
Do the math 12.1 The Distance Between Signaling Societies 402
Movie madness Contact 413
13 Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox 431
13.1 The Challenge of Interstellar Travel 432
13.2 Spacecraft for Interstellar Travel 437
13.3 The Fermi Paradox 447
13.4 The process of science in action Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity 455
Exercises and Problems 461
Do the math 13.1 The Rocket Equation 437
Do the math 13.2 Time Dilation 443
Movie madness Star Trek 447
Epilogue: Contact-Implications for the Search and Discovery 46
Exercises and Problems 472
Movie madness E.T. 468
Answers to Quick Quiz Questions AQ-1
Appendixes
A Useful Numbers A-1
B Useful Formulas A-2
C A Few Mathematical Skills A-3
D The Periodic Table of the Elements A-9
E The Solar System A-10
F List of Learning Objectives A-13
Glossary G-1
Credits C-1
Index I-1
What People are Saying About This
“This superbly written book explains the science in a lively way—just right for undergraduates without experience in astronomy or advanced mathematics. There are few texts that compete with Life in the Universe.”—Alan C. Calder, Stony Brook University, State University of New York“I really like the broad scope of this book and its accessibility for nonscience majors. Life in the Universe is very strong as a general education undergraduate textbook, covering a wide range of relevant science in astrobiology and providing excellent content for the topics covered. There is something here for everyone.”—Rachel L. Smith, Appalachian State University“Comprehensive and easy to read.”—Jacob L. Bean, University of Chicago“This textbook is very user-friendly for nonscience majors who need to fulfill a science requirement, nicely blending well-written discussions and informative images.”—Melinda L. Hutson, Portland State University“Life in the Universe presents this material in a way that is accessible to students with little to no physics background.”—Paul M. Robertson, University of California, Irvine