First Steps in the Origin of Life in the Universe, 2001 Proceedings of the Sixth Trieste Conference on Chemical Evolution Trieste, Italy 18–22 September, 2000

Proceedings of the Sixth Trieste Conference on Chemical Evolution, Trieste, Italy, 18-22 September 2000

Peptide Nucleic Acids as a Possible Primordial Genetic Polymer.- Physics and Life.- Solution to Darwin’S Dilemma: Discovery of the Missing Precambrian Record of Life.- Europa: Prospects For An Ocean And Life.- Sidney Walter Fox; The Father of Thermal Proteins and Protocells Therefrom.- Theories on Origins of Life Between 1860 and 1900 the Spontaneous Generation Controversy Years Post Darwin And Pasteur’s Works.- Reminiscences-Pont-A-Mousson-1970 to Trieste-2000.- Materials For “First Steps” In Evolution.- Contributions.- Origin and Persistence of Genetic Material in Prebiotic Habitats. The Possible Role of Nucleic Acid-Clay Complexes.- Chemical Evolution Studies in Organic Compounds Adsorbed in Clays.- From Inanimate Macromolecules To The Animate Protocell: In Search Of Thermal Protein Phase-Shifting.- Hplc Evidence Of Nonrandomness In Thermal Proteins.- IR Spectra Of Protein, Thermal Protein, And Thermal Glycoprotein.- Prebiotic Selection Induced By Periodic Starlight.- A Model System For Studying The Role Of Phosphoryl Group In Energy Transfer System.- Demonstration Of The Parity Violating Energy Difference In Phase Transition Of D- And L-Alanine And Valine.- Two Puctuation Systems In The Genetic Code.- Studies On Metal Ferrocyanides As Prebiotic Catalyst.- Stability Of Ribonucleic Acid in Protective Environments of Alkanes ? n-C18 — Results From Experiments in Laboratory.- Is Boric Acid The Missing Link in Prebiotic Chemistry.- A Phosphoramide-Bonded Polynucleobasephosphates as Riboseless Precursors of RNA?.- Cometary Molecules and Life’s Origin.- When and How Quickly Did Life Emerge on Earth?.- Contributions.- Cosmochemistry in The Early Universe.- Absorption Against The Cosmic 2.7 K Background.- Can Bio-Molecules be Formed in CollapsingInterstellar Clouds?.- Interstellar Molecules: An Exotic Chemistry.- Protoplanetary Disks, Solar System Minor Bodies And Origin Of Life.- Electric Discharge in Carbonaceous Meteorites?.- Terrene Meteorites on The Moon: A Source Of Information About The Origin of Life in The Earth?.- Two Possible Steps of The Chemical Evolution on Surface of Small Bodies in The Solar System.- Tetra- and Nonapeptidyl Motifs in The Origin And Evolution Of Photosynthetic Bioenergy Conversion.- Geochemical Habitats in Hydrothermal Systems.- Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents: An Example of Extreme Environment on Earth.- Contributions.- Catalytic Capability of Oligopeptides in The Interface Chemistry in Hydrothermal Environments.- Volcanic Lightning and The Availability of Reactive Nitrogen And Phosphorus for Chemical Evolution.- Planetary Habitable Zones: The Spatial Distribution of Life on Planetary Bodies.- Geological And Geochronological Constraints For The Age of The Oldest Putative Biomarkers in The Early Archaean Rocks of West Greenland.- The Cenancestor And Its Contemporary Biological Relics: The Case of Nucleic Acid Polymerases.- Likelihood of Transport of Life Between The Planets of Our Solar System.- Contributions.- The Nucleotide And Nucleotede-Like Coenzymes in Primitive Metabolism, Photobiology And Evolution.- From Extremophiles to Astrobiology.- Adaptative Response of A Fungus Species to Hydrocarbonenvironments — Results From Experiments in Laboratory.- Origins of Life in The Universe and Earliest Prokaryotic Microorganisms on Earth.- Persistence of Living Planktonic Foraminifera (Neoglobuquadrina pachyderma) in Antarctic Sea-Ice Inferred From a Study of a Sediment Core (Ross Sea Continental Margin).- Testing Evolutionary Convergence: From Rna World to Intelligence.- The Search ForA Second Genesis of Life in Our Solar System.- Ancient Life on Mars and Earth.- SEARCH FOR LIFE ON MARS: THE MARS EXPRESS BEAGLE-2 LANDER.- Contributions.- Search for Enantiomeric Excess in Extraterrestrial Samples. Interest For Mars Sample Return.- Changes on The Surface of Mars Resulting From Inner Factors and Imp Actors.- Spatial And Temporary Patterns of Some Climate Parameters Around The Timberline of Pico De Orizaba.- The Satellites of Saturn.- Titan: Exobiology And The Cassini-Huygens Mission.- Contributions.- Experimental And Theoretical Photochemical Studies of Polyynes: Application to Titan’s Atmosphere.- Experimental Simulation of Titan’s Atmosphere By Cold Plasmas.- Ways To Detect Life on New Planets.- Searching For Water in Exoplanets.- The Saha Crater Radioastronomic and Seti Observatory: Set-Up of The Data Link.- Contributions.- Natural Intelligence And Cellular Complexity.- Extraterrestrial Life And Communication Perspectives.- On The Last Terms Of Drake Equation: The Problem of Energy Sources.- Origins And Creation.- Life in The Universe: Philosophical and Theological Issues.- Implications of Possible Biological Evolution Outside Habitable Zones in Solar Systems.- Cosmopark-A Natural Astronomical Observatory.- Spanish Photographic Meteor Network: An Interdisciplinary Crosslink.- New Paradigms for Seti.- The Plurality of Worlds.- Author index.- List of participants.