News Notes

 

 

WAMC's Environment Show to feature Origins of Life

On Saturday, October 3 at 6 AM and Tuesday, October 6 at 8 PM WAMC's Environment Show will feature a segment on Origins of Life. This will be a regular feature airing every two weeks.

Listen to the Environment Show on your computer! Check it out at ENN Radio.

 

Life on Mars News

Life on Mars? -- NASA/Johnson Space Center

Ancient meteorite may point to life on Mars CNN news story

 

Oparin Medal to Jim Ferris

The Oparin Award of the International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life was given to Jim Ferris at the triennial meeting of the Society in July 1996 in Orleans, France. This is the highest ISSOL award and is given every six years "to the scientist deemed to have had the best sustained scientific research program in the origin of life field." The award was presented at Chambord, one of the largest Chateaus in the Loire Valley of France, at the final banquet at this 11th International conference on the origin of life.

 

New Look at How Life Began

Research published in Nature. Troy, NY -- Rensselaer chemist James Ferris has produced RNA polymers of more than 50 units from non-living materials under conditions that could have existed on primordial Earth.

 

Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere

Special Astronomy Issue

A special astronomy issue is being prepared under the guest editorship of Douglas Whittet (Rensselaer). This will be published in early 1997. It aims to review topics in astrophysics relevant to the origin and evolution of life. Each article is written by a leader in the field. Papers will discuss the origin and evolution of the biogenic elements, from creation by nucleosynthesis in stars, through processing in the interstellar medium and the solar nebula, to delivery at the surface of the primitive Earth. Reviews also cover the search for life on Mars and the possibility of habitable planets orbiting other stars.

 

An inventory of interstellar ice - ISO Information Note, 12 June 1996

The spaces between the stars are very cold, so vapours like water condense and freeze on the surface of available grains, in the manner of frost in winter. They form part of the interstellar dust that darkens the visible sky and which ISO is thoroughly analysing for the first time.

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Center for Studies of Origins of Life, Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY 12180
http://www.rpi.edu/dept/phys/Astro/origin.html