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A voyage from dark clouds to the early Earth
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- By P. Ehrenfreund, Leiden Observatory, P.O. Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands; Soft Matter/Astrobiology Group, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands, S. B. Charnley, Space Science Division, NASA AMES Research Center, MS 245-3, Moffett Field, CA 94305, USA, O. Botta, Soft Matter/Astrobiology Group, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
- Edited by Mario Livio, Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, I. Neill Reid, Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, William B. Sparks, Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore
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- Book:
- Astrophysics of Life
- Published online:
- 29 August 2009
- Print publication:
- 20 January 2005, pp 1-20
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Summary
Stellar nucleosynthesis of heavy elements, followed by their subsequent release into the interstellar medium, enables the formation of stable carbon compounds in both gas and solid phases. Spectroscopic astronomical observations provide evidence that the same chemical pathways are widespread both in the Milky Way and in external galaxies. The physical and chemical conditions—including density, temperature, ultraviolet radiation and energetic particle flux—determine reaction pathways and the complexity of organic molecules in different space environments. Most of the organic carbon in space is in the form of poorly-defined macromolecular networks. Furthermore, it is also unknown how interstellar material evolves during the collapse of molecular clouds to form stars and planets. Meteorites provide important constraints for the formation of our Solar System and the origin of life. Organic carbon, though only a trace element in these extraterrestrial rock fragments, can be investigated in great detail with sensitive laboratory methods. Such studies have revealed that many molecules which are essential in terrestrial biochemistry are present in meteorites. To understand if those compounds necessarily had any implications for the origin of life on Earth is the objective of several current and future space missions. However, to address questions such as how simple organic molecules assembled into complex structures like membranes and cells, requires interdisciplinary collaborations involving various scientific disciplines.
Introduction
Life in the Universe is the consequence of the increasing complexity of chemical pathways which led to stable carbon compounds assembling into cells and higher organisms.
Investigating complex organic compounds in a simulated Mars environment
- I.L. ten Kate, R. Ruiterkamp, O. Botta, B. Lehmann, C. Gomez Hernandez, N. Boudin, B.H. Foing, P. Ehrenfreund
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- Journal:
- International Journal of Astrobiology / Volume 1 / Issue 4 / October 2002
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 20 May 2003, pp. 387-399
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The search for organic molecules and traces of life on Mars has been a major topic in planetary science for several decades. 26 years ago Viking, a mission dedicated to the search for life on Mars, detected no traces of life. The search for extinct or extant life on Mars is the future perspective of several missions to the red planet, for example Beagle 2, the lander of the Mars Express mission. In order to determine what those missions should be looking for, laboratory experiments under simulated Mars conditions are crucial. This review paper describes ongoing experiments that are being performed in support of future Mars spacecraft missions. Besides the description of the experiments, the experimental hardware and set-up, this paper also gives the scientific rationale behind those experiments. The historical background of the search for life on Mars is outlined, followed by a description of the Viking Lander biology and molecular analysis experiments and their results, as well as a summary of possible reasons why no organic compounds have been detected. A section concerning organic compounds in space and related experiments discusses the organic molecules we will use in simulation experiments. The set-up is discussed briefly in the following section. We conclude with an overview of future missions, stressing the relation between these missions and our laboratory experiments. The research described in this article has been developed as part of a Mars Express Recognized Cooperating Laboratory (RCL), and for planned future Mars missions such as the PASTEUR lander.