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Synthetic biology and the search for extraterrestrial life. “Are we alone?” is one of the primary questions of astrobiology, and whose answer defines our significance in the universe. Unfortunately, this quest is hindered by the fact that we have only one confirmed example of life, that of earth.
- Lynn J. Rothschild
- 2015
A valuable resource for graduate students and researchers, the book provides an introduction to astrobiology, and explores subjects such as the implications of current origin of life research, the...
The first section will explore epistemological areas such as (a) dealing with the limitation of knowing only one kind of biology, (b) challenges of discerning an independent origin of life, and (c) challenges for assessing the biological status of a region or entire planet.
This essay outlines a strategy—alluded to in Cleland and Chyba (2007) and Cleland (2012)—for searching for extraterrestrial life that circumvents the thorny problem of defining life. In a nutshell: Use tentative (vs. defining) criteria to search for potentially biological anomalies (vs. life per se).
- Carol Cleland
The first section will explore epistemological areas such as (a) dealing with the limitation of knowing only one kind of biology, (b) challenges of discerning an independent origin of life, and (c) challenges for assessing the biological status of a region or entire planet.
Moving populations of humans to new habitats would have effects on culture as well biology, and must of course be carefully considered; an evacuation is different from purposive colonization. It has been shown that encountering new conditions can stimulate cultural innovation (Barnett 1953).
- Cameron M. Smith, Evan T. Davies
- 2012
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Feb 5, 2013 · According to this view the Earth of long ago was colonised by microbes that had somehow escaped from their home planets to drift across the vast distances between the stars until they arrived on that primeval and sterile Earth.
- David Moore
- 2013
