Exobiology: Matter, Energy, and Information in the Origin and Evolution of Life in the Universe: Proceedings of the Fifth Trieste Conference on Chemical Evolution: An Abdus Salam Memorial Trieste, Italy, 22–26 September 1997

372 Pages·1998·24.415 MB·English

by  Julian Chela-Flores (auth.), Julian Chela-Flores, François Raulin (eds.)

EXOBIOLOGY: MATTER, ENERGY, AND INFORMATION
IN THE ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE
EXOBIOLOGY: MATTER, ENERGY, AND
INFORMATION IN THE ORIGIN AND
EVOLUTION OF
LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE
Proceedings of the Fifth Trieste Conference on
Chemical Evolution: An Abdus Salam Memorial
Trieste, Italy, 22-26 September 1997
Edited by
JULIAN CHELA-FLORES
The Abdus Salam Inte17Ultional Centre for Theoretical Physics,
Trieste,ltaly,
and
lnstituto lnternacional de Estudios Avanzados, (Universidad Simon Bolivar),
Caracas, Venezuela
and
FRAN<;OIS RAULIN
USA, Universites Paris VII and Parix XII,
Creteil, France
SPRINGER SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, B.V.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Trieste Conference an Chemlcal Evolutlon (Sth 1997)
Exobtology matter. energy. and lnformatian in the origtn and
evolutian of l1fe In the unlverse proceedlngs of the Fifth Tr1este
Conference on Chemlcal Evolutlan an Abdus Salam memorial. Trleste.
Italy, 22-26 September 1997 I edlted by Jullan Chela-Flores and
Fran~ojs Raul1n.
p. cm.
lncludes index.
ISBN 978-94-010-6124-7 ISBN 978-94-011-5056-9 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-94-011-5056-9
1. Llfe--Orlgln--Congresses. 2. Exoblology--Congresses. 3, Llfe
on other planets--Congresses. 4. Molecular evolutlon--Congresses.
J. CheIa Flores, JulIăn. II. Raulln, F. III. Title.
QH325.T74 1997
576.8'3--dc21 98-28195
ISBN 978-94-010-6124-7
Printed on acid-free paper
Coverpicture:
Courtesy Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Copyright © California Institute of
Teclmology, Pasadena, CA. AII rights reserved. Based on U.S. government
sponsored research under contract NAS7-1260.
AII Rights Reserved
© 1998 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
Originally published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in 1998
No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and
retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner.
Dedicated to the memory of
ABDUS SALAM (1926-1996)
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Herrick Baltscheffsky, Sweden,
Mohindra S. Chadha, India,
George V. Coyne, S.J. Italy,
Donald De Vincenzi, USA,
Frank Drake, USA,
J. Mayo Greenberg, The Netherlands,
Jean Heidmann, France,
Gerda Horneck, Gennany,
Kensei Kobayashi, Japan,
Mikhail S. Kritsky, Russia,
Alexandra J. MacDermott, UK,
Christopher P. McKay, USA,
Alicia Negron-Mendoza, Mexico,
John Oro, USA,
Tairo Oshima, Japan,
Martino Rizzotti, Italy,
Giovanni Strazzulla, Italy,
Wang Wenqing, China.
SPONSORS
International Centre for Theoretical Physics
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
European Commission DG XII
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
UNESCO
The European Space Agency
National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Weizmann Institute Genome Project
Universites Paris VII and Paris XlI
Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
Assicurazioni Generali, and
Dipartimento di Biologia, Universita degli Studi di Trieste.

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PREFACE
Exobiology was the main topic of the Fifth Trieste Conference on Chemical Evolution.
The directors and the Advisory Committee, agreed to dedicate the present volume to the
memory of Professor Abdus Salam, the first director of the International Centre for
Theoretical Physics, who recently passed away. Due to his initiative the Trieste series
on chemical evolution began in 1992, following an invitation he issued in the Spring of
1991 to Professor Cyril PonnampelUma to become its first director.
Both this Centre and the ICGEB have been sponsors since we first started
planning the series. We were honoured and privileged to have 12 sponsors. The
following institutions have contributed generously to make this event possible:
The International Centre for Theoretical Physics
The International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
European Commission DG XII
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
UNESCO (through its regional offices in Latin America, India, China and its
Headquarters in Paris)
The European Space Agency
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Weizmann Institute Genome Project
Universites Paris VII and Paris XII
Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares,
Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
Assicurazioni Generali,
and
Dipartimento di Biologia,
Universita degli Studi di Trieste.
We welcomed, once again, members from all the major space agencies. These
included the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the European Space
Agency, the Russian Space Programme. We also had the opportunity to learn about the
most recent points of view of Japanese efforts in exobiology.
We were particularly grateful to those scientists and engineers that allowed us
to make a tlUly comprehensive review of Astrobiology. In the 68 presentations that we
enjoyed we had contributions on many of the subjects that contribute to exobiology.
These included: historical perspective of biological evolution; philosophical and
theological aspects of exobiology, cosmic, chemical and biological evolution,
molecular biology, geochronology, biogeochemistry, biogeology, planetary
protection, planetology.
XI
xii
Some of the current missions were reviewed, such as the Galileo, Cassini
Huygens and Rossetta Missions. To complete the programme, there were discussions
of some of the proposed missions or missions that are only at the preliminary level of
planning within working groups, such as the the Far InfraRed Space Telescope, Mars
Express, the Europa CryoboUHydrobot mission and exobiology in e31ih orbit.
To complete the programme, there were discussions of some of the proposed
missions that are only at the preliminary level of planning within working groups, such
as the Europa CryoboUHydrobot mission and exobiology in earth orbit.
Last, but certainly not least, we were able to learn of the most exciting of all
exobiological undertakings, such as the search for planets outside the solar system, and
the possible manifestation of intelligence in such environments. Indeed the SETI
research effort is well represented in this general survey of our subject.
Finally, we were particularly pleased with the wide interest that this conference
has risen in such a world-wide representation form Africa, Asia, Australia, Latin
America, Eastern Europe, the European Union, Switzerland, Japan, the United States
of America and Canada. With the present group the Trieste series have had some 350
participants since they began in October 1992. Of the selected participants about 50%
come from the Third World or East Europe, two geographical areas on which this
Centre has put special emphasis.
Due to illness Professor F.W. Eirich was unable to present his paper, but we
have included it in the proceedings.
We would like to acknowledge the collaboration of many staff members of
ICTP, but particular Ms. Lisa Iannitti for her support throughout the conference.
Julian Chela-Flores,
Trieste, Italy
and
Franc;:ois Raulin,
Paris XII, Crete iI, France.
CONTENTS
GROUP PHOTOGRAPH viii
PREFACE xi
OPENING ADDRESS xix
F.K.A. AUotey
Section 1. General Overview
Abdus Salam From Fundamental Interactions
5
to the Origin of Life
Julian Chela-Flores
The Abdus Salam Lecture:
11
Cosmochemical Evolution: A Unifying and
Creative Process in the Universe
John Oro
Opening Lecture:
35
The Theory of Common Descent
Richard D. Keynes
The Cyril Ponnamperuma Lecture:
53
The Search for Intelligent Life in the Universe
Frank Drake
Public Lecture:
61
Are We Alone in the Universe?
Paul Davies