Description:
Astrobiology: an overview / Aaron David Goldman -- Origin of elements and formation of solar system, planets and exoplanets / Ken Rice -- Astrobiology education and public outreach / Timothy F. Slater -- Analysis of extraterrestrial organic matter in Murchison meteorite: a progress report / Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin, Mourad Harir, Basem Kanawati, Régis Gougeon, Franco Moritz, Norbert Hertkorn, R. Sonny Clary, Istvan Gebefügi, and Zelimir Gabelica -- Prebiotic syntheses of biochemical compounds: an overview / Henderson James (Jim) Cleaves -- Biochemical pathways as evidence for prebiotic syntheses / Gene D. McDonald -- Roles of silicon in life on earth and elsewhere / Joseph B. Lambert and Senthil Andavan Gurusamy-Thangavelu -- Fossil records for early life on earth / David Wacey -- Prebiotic chemistry: in water and in the solid state / Vera M. Kolb -- Encapsulation of organic materials in protocells / Erica A. Frankel, Daniel C. Dewey, and Christine D. Keating -- Role of phosphorus in prebiotic chemistry / Matthew Pasek -- Cold and dry limits of life / Christopher P. McKay, Alfonso F. Davila, and Henry J. Sun -- Microorganisms in space / Gerda Horneck and Ralf Moeller -- Search for life on Mars: an astrogeological approach / Jesús Martínez-Frías -- Elusive definition of life: a survey of main ideas / Radu Popa -- Language and communication as universal requirements for life / Guenther Witzany -- Transition from abiotic to biotic: is there an algorithm for it? / Sara Imari Walker -- Extraterrestrial life: what are we looking for? / Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Louis N. Irwin, and Alberto G. Fairén -- Evolutionary approach to viruses in astrobiology / Matti Jalasvuori and Jaana K.H. Bamford -- Virolution can help us understand the origin of life / Luis P. Villarreal -- Can virolution help us understand recent human evolution? / Luis P. Villarreal