Astrobiology (caphbook, in Chinese)

Abstract

This book is intended as a textbook in astrobiology for students and teachers from various fields of science that are interested in astrobiology. It is based on a series of lectures (May – June 2007, and May - June 2008) that have given by one of the authors (G. Horneck) at the School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering at the Beihang University in Beijing, following the invitation by Professor Fengyan Zhuang. This book has been jointly prepared by G. Horneck and F. Zhuang, who also took care of the Chinese translation of the text. Astrobiology is a newly emerging field of science that involves many different disciplines, from astrophysics to molecular biology. The scope of astrobiology is wide. It comprises (i) the study of the overall pattern of chemical evolution of potential precursors of life, in the interstellar medium, and on the planets and small bodies of our solar system; (ii) tracing the history of life on Earth back to its roots; (iii) deciphering the environments of the planets in our solar system and of their satellites, throughout their history, with regard to their habitability; and (iv) searching for other planetary systems in our Galaxy. Hereby, astrobiology provides clues to the understanding of the origin, evolution and distribution of life and its interaction with the environment on Earth and possibly elsewhere in the universe.