Is Earth Exceptional?: The Quest for Cosmic Life by Mario Livio, 2024
Is Earth Exceptional? is a mesmerizing exploration of life’s origins and its potential beyond our planet. With profound insights from astrophysicist Mario Livio and Nobel Laureate Jack Szostak, this is a must-read for anyone curious about the universe and our place within it.
―Jennifer Doudna, Nobel Laureate and co-author of A Crack in Creation
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#books
#nonfiction
#astrobiology
![A New York Times –bestselling astrophysicist and a Nobel laureate take us on "a mesmerizing exploration" (Jennifer Doudna) to discover how and where the universe breathed itself into life
For a long time, scientists have wondered how life has emerged from inanimate chemistry, and whether Earth is the only place where it exists. Charles Darwin speculated about life on Earth beginning in a warm little pond. Some of his contemporaries believed that life existed on Mars. It once seemed inevitable that the truth would be known by now.
It is not. For more than a century, the origins and extent of life have remained shrouded in mystery. But, as Mario Livio and Jack Szostak reveal in Is Earth Exceptional? , the veil is finally lifting. The authors describe how life’s building blocks—from RNA to amino acids and cells—could have emerged from the chaos of Earth’s early existence. They then apply the knowledge gathered from cutting-edge research across the sciences to the search for life in the cosmos: both life as we know it and life as we don’t.
Why and where life exists are two of the biggest unsolved problems in science. Is Earth Exceptional? is the ultimate exploration of the question of whether life is a freak accident or a chemical imperative.
Review
“[Livio and Szostak] deliver a compelling account… the latest on a fascinating search.”―Kirkus Reviews](https://social.trom.tf/photo/preview/640/15819568 "A New York Times –bestselling astrophysicist and a Nobel laureate take us on \"a mesmerizing exploration\" (Jennifer Doudna) to discover how and where the universe breathed itself into life
For a long time, scientists have wondered how life has emerged from inanimate chemistry, and whether Earth is the only place where it exists. Charles Darwin speculated about life on Earth beginning in a warm little pond. Some of his contemporaries believed that life existed on Mars. It once seemed inevitable that the truth would be known by now.
It is not. For more than a century, the origins and extent of life have remained shrouded in mystery. But, as Mario Livio and Jack Szostak reveal in Is Earth Exceptional? , the veil is finally lifting. The authors describe how life’s building blocks—from RNA to amino acids and cells—could have emerged from the chaos of Earth’s early existence. They then apply the knowledge gathered from cutting-edge research across the sciences to the search for life in the cosmos: both life as we know it and life as we don’t.
Why and where life exists are two of the biggest unsolved problems in science. Is Earth Exceptional? is the ultimate exploration of the question of whether life is a freak accident or a chemical imperative.
Review
“[Livio and Szostak] deliver a compelling account… the latest on a fascinating search.”―Kirkus Reviews")
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I really think so.
Here's my proof.
It's the only planet we know of that has chocolate.
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"Florian Schaffer is a Bavarian strength athlete and unabashed muscleman who has dedicated his professional life to fitness and bodybuilding, but he’s probably better known to the wider world for his insatiable interest in baking exquisite cakes customized to delectable perfection."
It is vital that the British left stop licking its wounds and regroup into a new party. Without a viable electoral threat to his left, Starmer will keep getting away with his relentless assault on working people and pensioners.
thelondoneconomic.com/politics…
#UKPolitics #UKPol #Politics #Labour #Socialism
(1/4)
Fête de l’Humanité 2024: 450,000 stand for Palestine and against Macron’s power grab.
I adore Raskin.
Via Kyle Griffin:
If Democrats win the House in November, Rep. Jamie #Raskin has plans for running the Oversight Committee.
That includes hearings on gun control, climate change and Supreme Court ethics.
Raskin also would likely pursue Trump-focused investigations, including the business dealings of Jared Kushner and Trump's own business operations when he was president, to help craft anti-corruption legislation.
axios.com/2024/09/15/house-dem…
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Rainy Summer Weather on the Delaware River
renata-natale.pixels.com/featu…
#rain #weather #MastoArt #buyintoart #photo #delawareriver
Gapstow Autumn Splendor
Available for purchase here:
jessicajenney.com/featured/gap…
#bridge #gapstowbridge #gapstow #autumn #centralpark #autumnfoliage #autumncolors #autumnleaves #trees #mastoart #fediverse #pond #lake #foliage #Buyintoart #landscape #wallartforsale #wallartprint #wallart #october #photomonday
Our newest review at the blog is from our Hugo winner @Princejvstin He tackles a translated epic fantasy, BLOOD OF THE OLD KINGS, wrtitten by Sung-il Kim, translated by Anton Hur.
skiffyandfanty.com/blog/book-r…
#sff #books #bookstodon @bookstodon
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The full on fascist state is out in the open. These people watched dystopian science fiction and thought… wow that sure seems like a great idea.
Fucking losers of the highest order. mastodon.social/@alshafei/1131…
L’EPR de Flamanville s’arrête 24 heures après son lancement.
«Ça prouve que le système de sécurité fonctionne bien», a indiqué mercredi soir une porte-parole du groupe EDF.
«Sur l’EPR Finlandais, il y avait eu plusieurs déconvenues, notamment avec des pompes hydrauliques qui étaient défectueuses et qui ont dû être remplacées. Cela ne remet pas en cause le démarrage. Il faut juste être patient». Nicolas Goldberg, expert énergie chez Colombus Consulting.
Tout va bien, alors.
Jusqu'ici.
🚨It's our last chance to Save Loch Lomond.
🌳Later today, the National Park board will meet to decide the fate of Flamingo Land's destructive mega-resort in Balloch.
There is still time to join the campaign:
➡️ greens.scot/FlamingoLand ⬅️
Alan Watts Dispenses Wit & Wisdom on the Meaning of Life in Three Animated Videos
openculture.com/2018/11/alan-w…
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack highlighed more than $600 million in recent financing to support renewable energy in rural Arizona, including $83.5 million to Trico Electric Cooperative to expand battery storage and increase the reliability of electricity for residents on the Pascua Yaqui Reservation.
#Tucson #Arizona
I am very disappointed in Starmer using donor funds to pay for his wife's clothes. It's not a good look when he is saying how tough times are. She is deliberately not assuming a public role or profile and, between the two of them, they should earn enough for her to afford to dress perfectly acceptably. How is this different from the gold wallpaper?
≠ PHYSICAL REMOVAL WILL BE REQUIRED ≠
in reply to Partisan Night Slut • • •