This book is based partly on a. lecture course given at the University of Tri este, but mostly on my own research experience in the field of galactic chemical evolution. The subject of galactic chemical evolution was started and developed by Beat rice Tinsley in the seventies and now is a flourishing subject. This book is dedi cated to the chemical evolution of our Galaxy and aims at giving an up-to-date review of what we have learned since Tinsley's pioneering efforts. At the time of writing, in fact, books of this kind were not available with the exception of the excellent book by Bernard Pagel on "Nucleosynthesis and Chemical Evolution of Galaxies" (Cambridge University Press, 1997), and the subject of galactic chem ical evolution has appeared only as short chapters in books devoted to other subjects. Therefore, I felt that a book of this kind could be useful. The book summarizes the observational facts which allow us to reconstruct the chemical history of our Galaxy, in particular the abundances in stars and in terstellar medium; in the last decade, a great deal of observational work, mostly abundance determinations in stars in the solar vicinity, has shed light on the pro duction and distribution of chemical elements. Even more recently more abun dance data have accumulated for external galaxies at both low and high redshift, thus providing precious information on the chemical evolution of different types of galaxies and on the early stages of galaxy evolution.

This title discusses recent astronomical observations of molecules in various regions and eras of the Universe, and on describing the processes that determine the chemistry.

Leading researchers in the area of the origin and evolution of life in the universe contributed to Chemical Evolution: Physics of the Origin and Evolution of Life. This volume provides a review of this interdisciplinary field. In 35 chapters many aspects of the origin of life are discussed by 90 authors, with particular emphasis on the early paleontological record: physical, chemical, biological, and informational aspects of life's origin, instrumentation in exobiology and system exploration; the search for habitable planets and extraterrestrial intelligent radio signals. This book contains the proceedings of the Fourth Trieste Conference on Chemical Evolution that took place in September 1995, in which scientists from a wide geographical distribution joined in a Memorial to Cyril Ponnamperuma, who was a pioneer in the field of chemical evolution, the origin of life, and exobiology, and also initiated the Trieste Conferences on Chemical Evolution and the Origin of Life. This fourth Conference was therefore dedicated to his memory. Audience: Graduate students and researchers in the many areas of basic, earth, and life sciences that contribute to the study of chemical evolution and the origin of life.

The term “chemical evolution of galaxies” refers to the evolution of abundances of chemical species in galaxies, which is due to nuclear processes occurring in stars and to gas flows into and out of galaxies. This book deals with the chemical evolution of galaxies of all morphological types (ellipticals, spirals and irregulars) and stresses the importance of the star formation histories in determining the properties of stellar populations in different galaxies. The topic is approached in a didactical and logical manner via galaxy evolution models which are compared with observational results obtained in the last two decades: The reader is given an introduction to the concept of chemical abundances and learns about the main stellar populations in our Galaxy as well as about the classification of galaxy types and their main observables. In the core of the book, the construction and solution of chemical evolution models are discussed in detail, followed by descriptions and interpretations of observations of the chemical evolution of the Milky Way, spheroidal galaxies, irregular galaxies and of cosmic chemical evolution. The aim of this book is to provide an introduction to students as well as to amend our present ideas in research; the book also summarizes the efforts made by authors in the past several years in order to further future research in the field.

This book addresses some important open questions in this interdisciplinary field of research. In spite of its broad scope, ranging from the earliest evidence of life on earth to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, the main focus is on chemical evolution. Once the macromolecules of life were formed, the evolution of the earliest life forms enhanced the importance of chirality. This led to the highly asymmetric environment of the macromolecules of the living cell the hallmark of life itself. The subject of chirality, in particular, is discussed in depth: the status of the weak force as the only true chiral influence is presented. A substantial number of papers review both the theoretical as well as the experimental basis of the origin of biochirality. A second broad area discussed in detail is the RNA world. Some successes of this hypothesis are highlighted; the hierarchy of previous evolutionary stages leading to the origin of life, such as the pyrophosphate world, are considered. The question is raised whether useful hints may still be inferred from molecular fossils existing in contemporary cells. Contents The Origin, Evolution, and Distribution of Life in the Universe C. Ponnamperuma Chemical Origin and Early Evolution of Biological Energy Conversion H. Baltscheffsky Phosphate in Models for Chemical Evolution G. Arrhenius, B. Gedulin and Mojzsis Evolution in an RNA World P. Schuster Small Pathogenic RNAs of Plants: Living Fossils of the RNA World? T.O. Diener The Weak Force and the Origin of Life A.J. MacDermott The Origin of Chirality, the Role of Phase Transitions and Their Induction in Amino Acids A. Salam Spontaneous Regulating Mechanisms That May Have Led to the Origin of Life J. Chela-Flores Chirality and the Origin of Life R. Navarro Gonzalez, R.K. Khanna and C. Ponnamperuma >Search for Phase Transitions Changing Molecular Chirality A. Figureau, E. Duval and A. Boukenter Theoretical and Experimental Studies on the Possibility of Chirality Dependent Time Direction in Molecules A.S. Garay Extraterrestrial Intelligences J. Heidmann Discussion Sessions Biochemical Markers in Precambian Sediments--Indian Subcontinent S.S. Rane, A.V. Patankar, M.S. Chadha, B. Udayraj and S.M. Naqvi Practicabilities and Limits of Stereospecific Autocatalysis: An Experimental Approach T. Buhse, W. Thiemann, D. Lavabre and J.-C. Micheau Ionizing Radiation and Chemical Processing of Waters on Early Earth I.G. Draganic and S.I. Vujosevic Chemical Effects of Ionizing Radiation and Sonic Energy in the Context of Chemical Evolution A. Negron-Mendoza and G. Albarran Differences in Radiolysis Behavior of D,L-Amino Acid in Primary Stage and Thermodynamic Equilibrium State W.Q. Wang, J.L. Wu and J. Jiang Experimental Searches for the Origin of Biomolecular Asymmetry L. Keszthelyi True and False Chirality L.D. Barron Chiral Interaction and Biomolecular Evolution G. Gilat Chiral Forces and Molecular Dissymmetry R. Mohan Viroids and Viruses at the Origin of Organized Life L.J. Boya and P. Boya The Role of Neoteny and Sociogenesis in the Evolution of Cell Structure V.J.A. Novak

How did life begin on the early Earth? We know that life today is driven by the universal laws of chemistry and physics. By applying these laws over the past ?fty years, en- mous progress has been made in understanding the molecular mechanisms that are the foundations of the living state. For instance, just a decade ago, the ?rst human genome was published, all three billion base pairs. Using X-ray diffraction data from crystals, we can see how an enzyme molecule or a photosynthetic reaction center steps through its catalytic function. We can even visualize a ribosome, central to all life, translate - netic information into a protein. And we are just beginning to understand how molecular interactions regulate thousands of simultaneous reactions that continuously occur even in the simplest forms of life. New words have appeared that give a sense of this wealth of knowledge: The genome, the proteome, the metabolome, the interactome. But we can’t be too smug. We must avoid the mistake of the physicist who, as the twentieth century began, stated con?dently that we knew all there was to know about physics, that science just needed to clean up a few dusty corners. Then came relativity, quantum theory, the Big Bang, and now dark matter, dark energy and string theory. Similarly in the life sciences, the more we learn, the better we understand how little we really know. There remains a vast landscape to explore, with great questions remaining.

Here is a fascinating reader-friendly exploration of “the phosphorus enigma.” The volume attempts to answer the questions: How did phosphorus atoms, which are produced inside the inner cores of a handful of huge stars, become concentrated in relatively high proportions in the organisms composing Earth’s biosphere? And how did these phosphate derivatives manage to be included in such a great variety of organic molecules playing essential biochemical roles in all known life forms? Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the topic, the volume is arranged in three sections. The first section introduces the fundamental concepts and notions of physics, chemistry, and biology necessary for the proper understanding of the topics discussed within an astronomical framework. The author then focuses on the role of phosphorus and its compounds within the context of chemical evolution in galaxies, considering its relevance in most essential biochemical functions as well as its peculiar chemistry under different physicochemical conditions. The third section provides an overall perspective on the role of phosphorus and its compounds in current areas of research of solid state physics, materials engineering, nanotechnology or medicine.

Bringing together atomic physicists, nuclear physicists, astronomers, and astrophysicists from around the world, Stellar Evolution, Stellar Explosions, and Galactic Chemical Evolution focuses on stellar atmospheres; stellar evolution; stellar explosions, such as novae, supernovae, and x-ray bursters; pregalactic and galactic chemical evolution; the interstellar medium; and atomic and nuclear data for astrophysics. Consisting of invited papers, invited posters, and contributed posters, this volume covers observations, modeling, and atomic and nuclear physics foundations, including data, experiments, and theories, that are essential to understanding these important astrophysical objects and events. It documents a confluence of atomic physics, nuclear physics, and astrophysics and a confluence of data from atomic and nuclear physics experiments from current-generation astronomical instruments-all have helped advance the frontier in our understanding of the universe.

This interdisciplinary book consists of the proceedings of the Alexander Ivanovich Oparin lOOth Anniversary Conference, The Third Trieste Conference on Chemical Evolution, which took place at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics from 29 August till 2 September, 1994. A general overview of Oparin's life and work is followed by a review of Alfonso Herera, another pioneer in the studies of the origin of life. The subject matter is organized in ten sections corresponding to various aspects of our current understanding of the subject that was initiated by Oparin. These subjects were covered by fifty three speakers. There were sixty seven participants from a wide geographical distribution; twenty seven countries were represented. We have included the invited lecture of Professor Igor Kulaev, who was unable to be present at the conference for reasons beyond his control. The conference was generously supported by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, the Commission of the European Communities, the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, the International Centre for Science and High Technology, and UNESCO. Cyril Ponnamperuma, University of Maryland, U.S.A. Julian Chela-Flores, ICTP, Italy, and IDEA, Venezuela. xi FOREWORD As this volume was going to press we learnt of the untimely death of Cyril Ponnamperuma who died of cardiac arrest on December 20, 1994.

Chemical Evolution of the Giant Planets is a compilation of papers on the chemical evolution of giant planets, presented at a colloquium sponsored by the Laboratory of Chemical Evolution in October, 1974. The compendium focuses on the interpretation of data provided by the Pioneer 10 and 11 missions, which conducted explorations of the outer planets. Scientists from various disciplines tackle the various aspects of the study of the chemical environment of the giant planets and their satellites. Subjects such as the atmosphere of Jupiter and Saturn; chemical abundances in the atmospheres of the giant planets and their satellites; possibility of growth of airborne microbes in outer planetary atmospheres; and the biology on the outer planets are covered in the book. Astronomers, chemists, geologists, and biologists will find the book interesting.