Life from an RNA World
Life from an RNA World

Author: Michael Yarus

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2010-04-15

Total Pages: 212

ISBN-13: 9780674050754

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A majority of evolutionary biologists believe that we now can envision our biological predecessors--not the first, but nearly the first, living beings on Earth. This book is about these vanished forebears. The era between the first rudimentary life on Earth and the appearance of more complex beings is called the RNA world. It is RNA (ribonucleic acid) long believed to be a mere biologic copier and messenger, that offers a glimpse into our ancient predecessors. To describe early RNA creatures, here called "ribocytes" or RNA cells, the author uses basics of molecular biology. He reviews our current understanding of the tree of life, examines the structure of RNA itself, explains the operation of the genetic code, and more. Courting controversy among those who question the role of ribocytes -- citing the chemical fragility of RNA and the uncertainty about the origin of an RNA synthetic apparatus -- he offers a vision of early life on Earth.

Opening Doors
Opening Doors

Author: Laura L. Mays Hoopes

Publisher:

Published: 2019

Total Pages: 161

ISBN-13: 9780359413966

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A dual biography of Joan Steitz and Jennifer Doudna, two women who combined successful home lives with successful careers in science.

The Search for Life's Origins
The Search for Life's Origins

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1990-02-01

Total Pages: 161

ISBN-13: 0309042461

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The field of planetary biology and chemical evolution draws together experts in astronomy, paleobiology, biochemistry, and space science who work together to understand the evolution of living systems. This field has made exciting discoveries that shed light on how organic compounds came together to form self-replicating molecules-the origin of life. This volume updates that progress and offers recommendations on research programs-including an ambitious effort centered on Mars-to advance the field over the next 10 to 15 years. The book presents a wide range of data and research results on these and other issues: The biogenic elements and their interaction in the interstellar clouds and in solar nebulae. Early planetary environments and the conditions that lead to the origin of life. The evolution of cellular and multicellular life. The search for life outside the solar system. This volume will become required reading for anyone involved in the search for life's beginnings-including exobiologists, geoscientists, planetary scientists, and U.S. space and science policymakers.

RNA
RNA

Author: James E. Darnell

Publisher:

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781936113194

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RNA molecules could function as catalysts. --

Why Does Evolution Matter?
Why Does Evolution Matter?

Author: Gabriel Trueba

Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781443865180

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Evolution is not merely a chapter in biology textbooks; rather, it is the mesh that embraces and connects every biological phenomenon; indeed, as Dobzhansky pointed out, nothing in biology could be understood without the evolutionary logic. The contents of this book highlight the importance of evolution in applied biological sciences such as agricultural, medical, environmental and the social sciences. Evolutionary science provides renewed ideas which can result in practical applications and tools that deal with current problems concerning humanity, such as disease, food production, and environmental destruction. Most of the topics in this book were discussed during the III Summit on Evolution which took place in the Galapagos Islands in June 2013, hosted by the Galapagos Institute for the Arts and Sciences and the Galapagos Science Institute, Universidad San Francisco de Quito.

The Emergence of Life on Earth
The Emergence of Life on Earth

Author: Iris Fry

Publisher: Rutgers University Press

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 348

ISBN-13: 9780813527406

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How did life emerge on Earth? Is there life on other worlds? These questions, until recently confined to the pages of speculative essays and tabloid headlines, are now the subject of legitimate scientific research. This book presents a unique perspective--a combined historical, scientific, and philosophical analysis, which does justice to the complex nature of the subject. The book's first part offers an overview of the main ideas on the origin of life as they developed from antiquity until the twentieth century. The second, more detailed part of the book examines contemporary theories and major debates within the origin-of-life scientific community. Topics include: Aristotle and the Greek atomists' conceptions of the organism Alexander Oparin and J.B.S. Haldane's 1920s breakthrough papers Possible life on Mars?

The Molecular Origins of Life
The Molecular Origins of Life

Author: André Brack

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 1998-12-28

Total Pages: 432

ISBN-13: 9780521564755

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This 199 book reviews discoveries in astronomy, paleontology, biology and chemistry to help us to understand the likely origin of life on Earth.