Table of contents

Astro 10-Lecture 15: Astrobiology: Life in the universe

First some biology. What is life, anyway?

Evolution: How life changes over time.

DNA: The genetic code

Slide 5

Mutations: The Good, the Bad and the Indifferent

Selection: The other half of evolution

When did life start on Earth?

Abiogenesis: How did life start on Earth?

Theories of abiogenesis.

Timeline of life on Earth

Slide 12

Chemosynthesis: Energy from chemical reactions used to build sugars

Slide 14

Slide 15

Lessons from the timeline

Life on other planets

Requirements for “earthlike” life.

Life elsewhere in the solar system

Life in other solar systems

Habitable Zones

The Drake Equation

Author: Eric Korpela

E-mail: korpela at ssl.berkeley.edu

Homepage: http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/~korpela/

Further information:
For the educational use of the Vista Astro 10 class only