Product Description
Astrobiology, the study of life and its existence in the universe, is now one of the hottest areas of both popular science and serious academic research, fusing biology, chemistry, astrophysics, and geology. In this masterful introduction, Lewis Dartnell explores its latest findings, and delves into some of the most fascinating questions in science. What actually is 'life'? Could it exist on other planets? Could alien cells be based on silicon rather than carbon, or need ammonia instead of water? Introducing some of the most extreme lifeforms on Earth - those thriving in boiling acid or huddled around deep-sea volcanoes - Dartnell takes us on a tour of the universe to reveal how deeply linked we are to our cosmic environment, and shows why the Earth is so uniquely suited for the development of life.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 3.0 based on 1 review)

REview by Dr. Nick Badham (UK)

3 Stars
November 24, 2008
An excellent book covering a subject with which I am fairly familiar. I think that the sections on what goes on inside stars and stellar nebulae are too long given that they are essentially speculative. More space should have been given to the factual aspects of life on Earth as deduced from fossils and rocks. The almost conclusive evidence that there is or has been until recently life on Mars deserved mention too. Apart from these criticisms I found the book well written, comprehensive and likely to be enjoyed by the interestd amateur as well as the professional. Amazon's service was, as always, extremely efficient.

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