From Stardust to First Cells
The Origin and Evolution of Early Life
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Beschreibung
This book presents a groundbreaking hypothesis to answer one of the greatest scientific mysteries: How did life begin? Like a detective piecing together seemingly disparate bits of evidence, Dr. Sankar Chatterjee combines the most recent discoveries in cosmology, geology, chemistry, information systems, and biology, weaving a vast tapestry from the threads of current research. Dr. Chatterjee convincingly argues that the odyssey of life first began when the fundamental building blocks were brought to Earth by meteorites. These cosmic compounds concentrated and simmered like a soup in hydrothermal crater-caldrons. Through a system of subterranean vent networks, a biosynthetic-rich variety of organic compounds mixed and matched into a recipe of rich biomolecules guided by prebiotic information systems. Through symbiosis, these complex biopolymers gradually assemble into membrane-bound protocells. At each stage of this evolutionary progression, through natural selection, they refined with increasing stability and complexity, ultimately leading to the emergence of the first cells about four billion years ago. In this book, Dr. Chatterjee tells this story in rigorous detail in language that is both accessible and engaging.
Unites and interweaves the various evidences from astronomy, geology, chemistry, and biology to more thoroughly explore the beginning and first evolutionary steps of life
Argues that life most likely arose in four, interconnected hierarchical stages of increasing complexity—cosmic, geological, chemical, and biological
Contends that the most likely crucible for biosynthesis was a hydrothermal crater lake, where life began to brew
Unites and interweaves the various pieces of evidence from astronomy, geology, chemistry, informatics Argues that life most likely arose in five interconnected hierarchical stages of increasing complexity Contends that the most likely cradle for biosynthesis was a hydrothermal crater lake, where life began to brew
Autor*in
Sankar Chatterjee
Themen in »From Stardust to First Cells«
Archean Impacts hydrothermal crater lakes prebiotic synthesis molecular symbiosis abiogenesis
Stimmen zu »From Stardust to First Cells«
“Researchers interested in the origin of life have generated a vast landscape of ideas mixed with facts. Chatterjee takes readers above the landscape and provides a knowledgeable guide to the peaks and valleys of knowledge. One new idea is explored that impact craters may have provided the energy required to add complexity to simple molecules and bring self-assembled structures stepwise toward life’s emergence as primitive cells. Readers who want to know more about our growing understanding of life’s beginning on the early Earth will enjoy this generous helping of information written in clear and accessible language.” (David Deamer, Research Professor, Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, author of First Life: Discovering the Connections between Stars, Cells, and How Life Began)
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