The 5th Miracle: The Search for the Origin and Meaning of Life (Penguin Press Science Ser.)

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Synopsis
&“Davies makes a persuasive case that advances in biology and astronomy are turning the origin of life from a mystery into a solvable problem.&” —The New York Times Book ReviewAre we alone in the universe? In his latest far-reaching book, The Fifth Miracle, internationally acclaimed physicist and writer Paul Davies confronts one of science&’s great outstanding mysteries—the origin of life. Three and a half billion years ago, Mars resembled Earth. It was warm and wet and could have supported primitive organisms. If life once existed on Mars, might it have originated there and traveled to Earth inside meteorites blasted into space by cosmic impacts? Davies builds on the latest scientific discoveries and theories to address the larger question: What, exactly, is life? Is it the inevitable by-product of physical laws, as many scientists maintain, or an almost miraculous accident? Are we alone in the universe, or will life emerge on all Earth-like planets? And if there is life elsewhere in the universe, is it preordained to evolve toward greater complexity and intelligence? On the answers to these deep questions hinges the ultimate purpose of mankind—who we are and what our place might be in the unfolding drama of the cosmos.&“Davies makes accessible a subject growing increasingly arcane.&” —San Francisco Chronicle Book Review&“Paul Davies has been writing excellent books about science for so long that it is hard to believe that he is still getting better. But on this evidence, he is . . . Delightful.&” —John Gribbin, author of In Search of Schrodinger&’s Cat
Copyright:
2000

Book Details

Book Quality:
Publisher Quality
Book Size:
304 Pages
ISBN-13:
9781439126820
Related ISBNs:
9780684863092
Publisher:
Simon & Schuster
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
Orion Productions
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
Nonfiction, Science, Philosophy
Submitted By:
Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.

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