The origins of life and the universe

Paul F. Lurquin0231126549, 9780231126540, 9780231507660, 0231126557

This book is about origins: the origin of the universe, matter stars and planets systems, and finally, the origin of life -topics of profound interest that are rarely considered together. The Origins of Life and the Universe is a culmination of Lurquin´s own quest for understanding and his experiences in the classroom. The two pillars of modern physics, relativity and quantum theory, are elucidated in a way that shows the reader that the physical world of energy, matter, radiation (and their interactions) can be understood very precisely and often counter-intuitively -and how they can be applied to the Big Bang model of the creation of the universe. The book then considers the role of genetics and DNA and ultimately examines how “protocells” may have started a kind of integrated metabolism and how horizontal gene transfer may have speeded up evolution. Finally, Lurquin examines the possibilities of the end of life and the destruction of the universe, either by nuclear war or natural means.