Muriel Gargaud Libros

- How did the Sun come into existence? - How was the Earth formed? - How long has Earth been the way it is now, with its combination of oceans and continents? - How do you define “life”? - How did the first life forms emerge? - What conditions made it possible for living things to evolve? All these questions are answered in this colourful textbook addressing undergraduate students in "Origins of Life" courses and the scientifically interested public. The authors take the reader on an amazing voyage through time, beginning five thousand million years ago in a cloud of interstellar dust and ending five hundred million years ago, when the living world that we see today was finally formed. A chapter on exoplanets provides an overview of the search for planets outside the solar system, especially for habitable ones. The appendix closes the book with a glossary, a bibliography of further readings and a summary of the Origins of the Earth and life in fourteen boxes.

Now in its third edition, this reference work serves as a key resource for the interdisciplinary community of astrobiologists, aiding both new and experienced researchers and graduate students in grasping the broader context of their field. Contributed by a carefully selected group of active researchers, it aims to provide a comprehensive international perspective and foster interdisciplinary advancement in astrobiology. This field encompasses exciting discoveries related to exoplanets, the diversity and resilience of life, and the conditions for life's emergence. Biologists, astrophysicists, chemists, geoscientists, and space scientists collaborate in this mission to uncover the origins and commonality of life in the Universe. The encyclopedia offers overview articles and definitions that establish a common language, facilitating education for a new generation of astrobiologists who are no longer hindered by disciplinary jargon. The new edition features approximately 170 new entries, with over half of the existing content updated or expanded, incorporating recent findings in astrochemistry, terrestrial extremophiles, exoplanets, and space sciences. Additionally, it includes an "Astrobiology by Discipline" section, organizing entries by scientific field, which highlights the field's broad and detailed nature and assists those exploring astrobiology.