Lucas John Mix is Episcopal Chaplain at the University of Arizona.
In a fascinating primer, Lucas John Mix lays the groundwork for
what may become the hottest science in the latter part of this
century. Through basic biology and planetary sciences, Mix muses
over which worlds in our solar system might possibly harbor life
and which seemingly possess environments too hostile to expect life
of any kind. He investigates the conditions under which life is
known to thrive and ponders whether it's inevitable that life
could, or would, take hold just about anywhere the prerequisite
temperatures and elements come together.
*Charleston Post and Courier*
Most of this book is accessible and fascinating.
*Seattle Times*
Mix does an excellent job 'assembling the larger puzzle' about life
in space from the pieces provided by all the scientific
disciplines.
*Connie Bertka, Lecturer on Contemporary Issues in Science &
Religion, Wesley Theological Seminary*
What is life? If you are sure you know and do not want to be
challenged, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK! However, you will miss an
extraordinarily fascinating account, told with a particularly
engaging style. Is an egg alive? Maybe yes, maybe no. It is a
single cell. Most cells are invisible to the unaided eye, but the
largest cell is an ostrich egg, perhaps 20 centimeters across. As
the author concludes, life is a great deal more confusing and
wonderful than anyone suspected.
*Owen Gingerich, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics,
author of God's Universe*
Lucas Mix has written a beautiful synthesis of the multiple
sciences that make up astrobiology. He tells the story of life from
the broad perspective that links discoveries in astronomy,
geoscience, chemistry, and biology and connects the history of life
on Earth to our prospects for finding life, perhaps very different
life forms, beyond our familiar home planet.
*David Morrison, astrobiologist, co-author of The Planetary
System*
Mix has written a book that captures the excitement of this new age
of discovery that we are in the midst of today. He is systematic
and thorough, an admirable accomplishment given the
multidisciplinary nature of astrobiology. This makes the book
valuable to the reader seriously interested in the subject. Mix's
prose is very light and entertaining, making his thorough treatment
of the subject an asset, rather than a liability. The casual reader
will most likely enjoy the book and learn a lot from it.
*Dimitar Sasselov, Director, Harvard Origins of Life Initiative*
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