Review by Choice Review
Chela-Flores (astrobiology, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy) avoids mathematics and the use of molecular structures in his discussion of substances, but it is an in-depth discussion of all aspects of astrobiology. He discusses each stage of development in the cosmos, from the evolution of atoms to the evolution of life. Topics--chemical evolution, recent work on extremophiles, evolution of biological cells and intelligence, and theories of how life could have evolved on other worlds--are treated with reasonable detail for such a small volume. The biggest problem with the book is not the author's work, but the fair number of production errors such as inconsistent quality of text and pictures, misspellings, and missing sentences or parts. Although there are references for additional reading, chapter-by-chapter references, a glossary, and a list of abbreviations, some background in science would be helpful to the reader. For the general reader, Stuart Clark's Life on Other Worlds and How to Find It (CH, Sep'00) and David Darling's Life Everywhere: The Maverick Science of Astrobiology (CH, Nov'01) may be better, but for the student of science, Chela-Flores's small volume is an excellent introduction to astrobiology. Recommended for anyone involved in studying life. Lower-division undergraduates through professionals; two-year technical program students. P. R. Douville emeritus, Central Connecticut State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
