1. Quick Review for Mid-Term Examination
HNRS Astrobiology
Prof. Geller

2. Overview of Chapter 1 Life Elsewhere Worlds Beyond Imagination
distances between worlds
distances between stars
communications between star systems
Stuff of Life
birth and death of stars and planets
origin of the chemical elements
chemistry review
formation of solar system
other solar systems

3. Overview of Chapter 2 Roots of science Copernican Revolution
Greeks and Geocentrism
Copernican Revolution
Copernicus, Tycho, Kepler, Galileo, Newton
Nature of Modern Science
What you think you know

4. Overview of Chapter 3 What is Life Cells: The basic units of life
Its properties, evolution and definition
Cells: The basic units of life
Structure, composition, prokaryotes, eukaryotes
Metabolism: The chemistry of life
Energy needs and sources; water
DNA and Heredity
Structure, replication, genetic code
Life at the Extremes
Extremophiles and their implications

5. Chapter 4 - Rocks
How geologists tell apart different minerals and rocks
color, luster, texture
hardness test
scratching one against another
diamond is hardest
acid test
using weak hydrochloric acid to
streak test
form a streak across a ceramic tile

6. Chapter 4 - Geologic Time
Fossilization
“Reading the Rocks”
principle of uniformity
principle of original horizontality
principle of superposition
principle of crosscutting relationships
principle of faunal succession
radiometric dating
Geologic Time Scale

7. Chapter 4 - Geologic Time

8. Chapter 5 - Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth
Searching for the origin
Functional beginnings of life
From chemistry to biology at the molecular level
Prokaryotes and oxygen
Eukaryotes and explosion of diversity
Mass extinctions, asteroids and climate change
Evolutions of humans
Conclusions

9. Density vs. Temperature (water)

10. Biochemical Pathways

11. Chemical Beginnings

12. Molecular Features of Living Systems (continued)
DNA
m-RNA
t-RNA
Polypeptide
Functional Protein
Transcription
Translation
Translation/Genetic Code
Conformation

13. Taylor Hierarchy of Life
Community
Population
Organism
Organ
Tissue
Cell
Organelles
Macromolecules
Atoms

14. Taylor Hierarchy of Ecology
Earth
Biosphere
Biome
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Organisms

15. Chapter 6 - Searching the Solar System for Life
Review Requirements for Life
Searching for Life in Our Solar System
Exploring the Solar System
remotely from Earth or spacecraft, landers on surface, human exploration
Biological Tour of the Solar System

16. Sample Phase Diagram

17. Nebular Condensation Chemistry

18. Planetary Summary