Creating the molecules of life / Richard N. Boyd, Michael A. Famiano.

Περιλαμβάνει βιβλιογραφικές παραπομπές.

1. Introduction -- 1.1. In the beginning -- 1.2. What is “life”? -- 1.3. The Miller-Urey experiment -- 1.4. General background and definitions

2. What is the origin of the lightest elements? -- 2.1. The Big Bang -- 2.2. The Supernova Cosmology Project, the High-Z Supernova Project, and the SHOES Collaboration -- 2.3. The Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe -- 2.4. The Planck Cosmological Mission -- 2.5. Olbers' paradox -- 2.6. Big Bang nucleosynthesis

3. What is the origin of the rest of the elements? -- 3.1. Introduction to stellar nucleosynthesis -- 3.2. After stellar burning -- 3.3. Evolved stars

4. Creation of molecules in the interstellar medium -- 4.1. The electromagnetic spectrum -- 4.2. Detecting photons of different energies -- 4.3. Secrets from meteorites -- 4.4. Mining the comets and asteroids -- 4.5. The next huge step : forming and maintaining life from the basic constituents

5. Amino acids, chirality, and neutrinos -- 5.1. A primer on amino acids -- 5.2. Chirality and polarization -- 5.3. Circularly polarized light and molecular chirality -- 5.4. Basic features of the SNAAP model -- 5.5. Characteristics of the SNAAP model star -- 5.6. Efficiency estimate -- 5.7. The neutrino story -- 5.8. Interactions of neutrinos with 14n

6. Determining molecular properties by quantum molecular calculations -- 6.1. Recap -- 6.2. Some background : magnetic fields and nuclei -- 6.3. Nuclear magnetic resonance in space -- 6.4. Thermal effects -- 6.5. Electric fields and molecules -- 6.6. Shielding -- 6.7. How do we get magnetic and electric fields at the same time? -- 6.8. Nuclei moving in magnetic fields, with antineutrinos -- 6.9. Making all of this work : magnetochiral effects with neutrinos -- 6.10. Potential sites for the SNAAP model

7. How the SNAAP model selects chirality -- 7.1. Computational model -- 7.2. Shielding tensor calculations -- 7.3. Magnetochiral effects with neutrinos -- 7.4. Results for other amino acids -- 7.5. Sites for the SNAAP model

8. Experimental tests of the SNAAP model -- 8.1. Possible measurements for direct confirmation of the SNAAP model -- 8.2. Nuclear magnetic resonance measurements as tests of the SNAAP model -- 8.3. Astronomical and space mission tests of the SNAAP model -- 8.4. Future theoretical work -- 8.5. Effects on the rest of the molecule

9. How have scientists previously explained the amino acid chirality? -- 9.1.. Introduction to models -- 9.2. Models that produce chirality -- 9.3. Amplification via chemical catalysis -- 9.4. Laboratory experiments and theoretical developments -- 9.5. Terrestrial amplification -- 9.6. Concluding comments

10. Beyond the amino acids -- 10.1. How are more complicated molecules made? -- 10.2. How were the more complex molecules created? -- 10.3. Extremophiles on Earth -- 10.4. And from outer space? -- 10.5. So are we alone in the universe? -- Appendices. -- A. SNAAP model mathematics -- B. True and false chirality.

Creating the Molecules of Life discusses origins, including the Big Bang, and the origin of the elements. With a complete presentation and explanation, this book provides evidence that the molecules of life are produced in outer space and how the SNAAP model purports to explain that origin. Extremophiles, which explains that evolution is robust enough to create life forms in a wide variety of conditions, is also presented. Readable for those at the upper undergraduate level, mathematics associated with coupling the nuclear spins to the molecular chirality is discussed. An accompanied appendix is provided to support mathematics.