What is it about?
This is the first article (of three) where we begin to examine the factors, such as temperature, light, etc that control the development of life on planets. In particular we begin to apply ecological ideas and concepts to the spread and evolution of life in different geological and astronomical settings.
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Why is it important?
This is the first article that we are aware of that really brings together planetary geology and the relevant astronomical context with biological evolution. While adopting an, initially, qualitative model which links these ideas, this paper serves as a framework for subsequent work, which will place the evolution of life on extrasolar planets in a biologically sound model. In turn, this begins to address the so-called Fermi Paradox.
Perspectives
This article's concepts have evolved from a book I put together for the publisher Springer: "The Nature of Life and its Potential to Survive". When I embarked upon writing the book, I hadn't really considered the ecological and evolutionary impact of the writing. This emerged gradually during the book's growth. In turn, it became clear that there was potential for further academic work, which first emerged, here.
Dr David Sinclair Stevenson
Carlton le Willows Academy
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Evolutionary exobiology: towards the qualitative assessment of biological potential on exoplanets, International Journal of Astrobiology, October 2017, Cambridge University Press,
DOI: 10.1017/s1473550417000349.
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