The origin and nature of life on earth : the emergence of the fourth geosphere /

Uniting the conceptual foundations of the physical sciences and biology, this ground-breaking multi-disciplinary book explores the origin of life as a planetary process. Combining geology, geochemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, evolution and statistical physics to create an inclusive picture of t...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Smith, Eric, 1965- (Author), Morowitz, Harold J. (Author)
Format: Book
Language:English
Published: Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, [2016]
Subjects:
Online Access:Contributor biographical information
Publisher description
Table of contents only
Description
Summary:Uniting the conceptual foundations of the physical sciences and biology, this ground-breaking multi-disciplinary book explores the origin of life as a planetary process. Combining geology, geochemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, evolution and statistical physics to create an inclusive picture of the living state, the authors develop the argument that the emergence of life was a necessary cascade of non-equilibrium phase transitions that opened new channels for chemical energy flow on earth.
Physical Description:xxiv, 677 pages : illustrations ; 26 cm.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN:9781107121881
1107121884