Habitability and Cosmic Catastrophes

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XIV

   PDF

2. Habitable zones

   • Arnold Hanslmeier

   Pages 1-28

3. Properties and Environments of Life

   • Arnold Hanslmeier

   Pages 29-54

4. Stars and Galaxies

   • Arnold Hanslmeier

   Pages 55-79

5. Planetary Systems

   • Arnold Hanslmeier

   Pages 81-122

6. Catastrophes in Our Solar System?

   • Arnold Hanslmeier

   Pages 123-156

7. Catastrophes in Extrasolar Planetary Systems?

   • Arnold Hanslmeier

   Pages 157-168

8. The Solar Neighborhood

   • Arnold Hanslmeier

   Pages 169-185

9. The Search for Extraterrestrial Life

   • Arnold Hanslmeier

   Pages 187-208

10. Appendix

    • Arnold Hanslmeier

    Pages 209-225

11. Back Matter

    Pages 227-248

    PDF

The search for life in the universe is one of the most challenging topics of science. It is not a modern topic at all, since more than 100 years ago, it was speculated that on the Moon, there are oceans and seas; on Venus, there are swamps and also Mars is inhabitated. However, now we have the scienti?c background and the scienti?c tools to answer this question and it is also certain that the answer would have deep imp- cations for our culture, philosophy, and religions. If we ?nd that life has developed on other planets or satellites of giant planets, then this would be the ?nal breakdown of our central position in the universe. But is life a widespread phenomenon? How vulnerable is it to changing conditions and even catastrophic events? These topics will be discussed in this book. If life is in the extreme case a unique phenomenon found only on planet Earth, which seems to be highly unrealistic, then also it is important to discuss how it is adaptable to changing external conditions. Can we survive a cosmic catastrophe? How do these catastrophes change habitability? Which forms of life are more v- nerable? It was mentioned that now science has made great progress to answer such qu- tions. Let us give some examples. In modern biology, in connection with organic chemistry, the origin of life is studied.

• Cosmic catastrophes
• Extra Solar Planets
• Extraterrestrial life
• Habitability
• Planet
• Planetary system
• Solar System
• Space Weather
• Sun:Variation
• astrobiology
• astrophysics
• extremophile
• solar
• climate change

From the reviews:

"Habitability and Cosmic Catastrophes, part of the ‘Advances in Astrobiology and Biogeophysics’ series, is an interesting read. Hanslmeier … provides information that spans numerous disciplines, from solar and galactic astrophysics and geology to biology. The book’s reach is tremendous: attempting to assess the risk to life from various cosmic catastrophes that range from supernovae to asteroid collisions and almost everything in between. … Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals/practitioners." (E. S. Perlman, Choice, Vol. 46 (11), 2009)

• Univ. Graz, Inst. Astronomie Universitätsplatz 5, Austria

  Arnold Hanslmeier

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