Origins of Life

<p>The primary purpose of this book is to prepare the ground for coordinated efforts aiming to answer the question: where and when life originated. The appearance of life involves three successive stages: i) the formation of chemical elements and their combination to simple molecules which is the concern of physicists; ii) the evolution of organized complexity in biomolecules and their reactions which falls within the field of chemistry; iii) the onset of Darwinian evolution after the appearance of the first cell-like structure which is studied by biologists. This book focuses on the first two steps of this process with chapters exploring topics such as chemical element abundances; galaxies galactic magnetic fields and cosmic rays; galactic chemical evolution. </p><p>Key Features:</p><ul> <p> </p> <li>Contains extensive lists of reference and additional reading.</li> <p> </p> <li>Includes new hypotheses concerning the origin of life. </li> <p> </p> <li>Combines consideration from nuclear physics astrophysics astro- and geochemistry.</li> </ul><p>Despite its interdisciplinary nature this book remains accessible to nonexperts and would be a valuable companion for both experts and laypeople. </p>