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The Chemistry of Life’s Origins

  • Book
  • © 1993

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Editors:
  1. J. M. Greenberg

    1. Laboratory Astrophysics, University of Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands

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  2. C. X. Mendoza-Gómez

    1. Laboratory Astrophysics, University of Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands

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  3. V. Pirronello

    1. Istituto di Fisica, Università di Catania, Catania, Italy

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Part of the book series: Nato Science Series C: (ASIC, volume 416)

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Table of contents (15 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xi
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  2. Interstellar Dust Evolution: A Reservoir of Prebiotic Molecules

    • J. Mayo Greenberg, Celia X. Mendoza-Gómez
    Pages 1-32

  3. Laboratory Simulations of Grain Icy Mantles Processing by Cosmic Rays

    • Valerio Pirronello
    Pages 33-53

  4. Physics and Chemistry of Protoplanetary Accretion Disks

    • Wolfgang J. Duschl
    Pages 55-73

  5. Chemistry of the Solar Nebula

    • Bruce Fegley Jr.
    Pages 75-147

  6. Early Evolution of the Atmosphere and Ocean

    • James F. Kasting
    Pages 149-176

  7. Origin and Evolution of Martian Atmosphere and Climate and Possible Exobiological Experiments

    • L. M. Mukhin
    Pages 177-184

  8. The Possible Pathways of the Synthesis of Precursors on the Early Earth

    • L. M. Mukhin, M. V. Gerasimov
    Pages 185-194

  9. Physical and Chemical Composition of Comets — From Interstellar Space to the Earth

    • J. Mayo Greenberg
    Pages 195-207

  10. Organic Matter in Meteorites: Molecular and Isotopic Analyses of the Murchison Meteorite

    • John R. Cronin, Sherwood Chang
    Pages 209-258

  11. Prebiotic Synthesis in Planetary Environments

    • Sherwood Chang
    Pages 259-299

  12. Prebiotic Synthesis on Minerals: RNA Oligomer Formation

    • James P. Ferris
    Pages 301-322

  13. Biology and Theory: RNA and the Origin of Life

    • Alan W. Schwartz
    Pages 323-344

  14. Chirality and the Origins of Life

    • A. Brack
    Pages 345-355

  15. Early Proteins

    • A. Brack
    Pages 357-388

  16. The Beginnings of Life on Earth: Evidence from the Geological Record

    • M. Schidlowski
    Pages 389-414

  17. Back Matter

    Pages 415-423
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Keywords

About this book

This volume contains the lectures presented at the second course of the International School of Space Chemistry held in Erice (Sicily) from October 20 - 30 1991 at the "E. Majorana Centre for Scientific Culture". The course was attended by 58 participants from 13 countries. The Chemistry of Life's Origins is well recognized as one of the most critical subjects of modem chemistry. Much progress has been made since the amazingly perceptive contributions by Oparin some 70 years ago when he first outlined a possible series of steps starting from simple molecules to basic building blocks and ultimate assembly into simple organisms capable of replicating, catalysis and evolution to higher organisms. The pioneering experiments of Stanley Miller demonstrated already forty years ago how easy it could have been to form the amino acids which are critical to living organisms. However we have since learned and are still learning a great deal more about the primitive conditions on earth which has led us to a rethinking of where and how the condition for prebiotic chemical processes occurred. We have also learned a great deal more about the molecular basis for life. For instance, the existence of DNA was just discovered forty years ago.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Laboratory Astrophysics, University of Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands

    J. M. Greenberg, C. X. Mendoza-Gómez

  • Istituto di Fisica, Università di Catania, Catania, Italy

    V. Pirronello

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