Planet Formation and Panspermia

An in-depth view of the panspermia hypothesis examined against the latest knowledge of planetary formation and related processes.

Panspermia is the concept that life can be passively transported through space on various bodies and seed, habitable planets and moons, which we are beginning to learn may exist in large numbers. It is an old idea, but not popular with those who prefer that life on Earth started on Earth, an alternative, also unproven hypothesis. This book updates the concept of panspermia in the light of new evidence on planet formation, molecular clouds, solar system motions, supernovae ejection mechanisms, etc. Thus, it is to be a book about newly understood prospects for the movement of life through space.

The novel approach presented in this book gives new insights into the panspermia theory and its connection with planetary formation and the evolution of galaxies. This offers a good starting point for future research proposals about exolife and a better perspective for empirical scrutiny of panspermia theory. Also, the key to understanding life in the universe is to understand that the planetary formation process is convolved with the evolution of stellar systems in their galactic environment. The book provides the synthesis of all these elements and gives the readers an up-to-date insight on how panspermia might fit into the big picture.

Audience

Given the intrinsic interdisciplinary nature of the panspermia hypothesis the book will have a wide audience across various scientific disciplines covering astronomy, biology, physics and chemistry. Apart from scientists, the book will appeal to engineers who are involved in planning and realization of future space missions.

Autorentext

Branislav Vukoti obtained his MSc. and PhD from the University of Belgrade, Serbia. He researches the astrobiological history of the Milky Way using probabilistic cellular automata and N-body simulations. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Publications of the Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade and a vice-chair of the Management Board of the Astronomical Observatory in Belgrade.

Joseph Seckbach earned his MSc. and PhD from the University of Chicago and did his postdoc at Caltech, Pasadena. CA. He is retired from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and spent periods in research at the USA: UCLA, Harvard, Baton-Rouge (LSU); in Germany (Tübingen and Munich as an exchange scholar). He has edited a series of books Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology and has over 40 edited volumes for various publishers as well as about 140 scientific articles. His interest is in astrobiology and iron in plants (phytoferritin). Richard Gordon is a theoretical biologist with a PhD in Chemical Physics from the University of Oregon, retired from the Department of Radiology, University of Manitoba in 2011. He is presently at the Gulf Specimen Marine Lab & Aquarium, Panacea, Florida and Adjunct Professor, C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth & Development, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit Michigan. His interest in exobiology (now astrobiology) dates from 1960s undergraduate work on organic matter in the Orgueil meteorite with Edward Anders. He has published critical reviews of panspermia and the history of claims of life in meteorites.

Inhalt
Preface xi

Part I: Philosophical Aspects of Panspermia 1

**1 On the Origin of Life 3
**By Lord Kelvin (William Thomson)

**2 Why We Should Take Interstellar Panspermia Seriously 7
**Amedeo Balbi

2.1 Introduction 7

2.2 The Case for Interstellar Panspermia 8

2.3 Theoretical Consequences of Interstellar Panspermia 11

2.4 Conclusions 14

References 15

**3 The Extended Continuity Thesis, Chronocentrism, and Directed Panspermia 19
**Milan M. irkovi

3.1 Introduction: The Continuity as a Pre-Requisite for Scientific Grounding of Astrobiology 20

3.2 Versions and Resistance 22

3.3 Cultural Evolution and Directed Panspermia 26

3.4 Conclusion and Prospects 34

Acknowledgements 36

References 37

**4 Life in the Milky Way: The Panspermia Prospects 41
**Branislav Vukoti and Richard Gordon

4.1 Introduction 41

4.2 Three Levels of Habitability and Panspermia 43

4.2.1 Stellar System Level 43

4.2.2 Galaxies: Cosmic Cradles of Life 45

4.2.3 Cosmological Level: Interactions of Galaxies 47

4.3 Conclusions 48

Acknowledgements 49

References 49

**Part II: Microorganisms and Panspermia 53

5 Planetary Protection: Too Late 55
**Margarita Safonova and C. Sivaram

5.1 Introduction 56

5.2 What is Planetary Protection 56

5.3 Extent of Earth Biosphere 60

5.4 Extension to Other Planetary Bodies 62

5.4.1 Moon 62

5.4.2 Mars 64

5.4.3 Icy Moons 66

5.5 Backward Contamination 66

5.6 Interplanetary Exchange 68

5.7 Habitable Conditions for Interplanetary Micronauts 71

5.8 Conclusion 74

Appendix A 77

Appendix B 78

Appendix C 78

Acknowledgments 81

References 82

**6 Microbial Survival and Adaptation in Extreme Terrestrial EnvironmentsThe Case of the Dallol Geothermal Area in Ethiopia 93
**Cavalazzi Barbara and Filippidou Sevasti

6.1 Introduction 94

6.2 Planetary Field Analog: The Case of the Dallol Geothermal Area 95

6.2.1 The Dallol Hot Springs 99

6.2.2 Dallol Geothermal Area Planetary Field Analogs 104

6.3 Life in Extreme Environments 105

6.4 Conclusion and Remarks on Panspermia 110

Acknowledgment 111

References 111

**7 Escape From Planet Earth: From Directed Panspermia to Terraformation 119
**Roy D. Sleator and Niall Smith

Acknowledgements 123

References 123

Part III: Formation and Evolution of Planets: Material Exchange Prospects 125

**8 Catalyzed Lithopanspermia Through Disk Capture of Biologically Active Interstellar Material 127
**Evgeni Grishin and Hagai B. Perets

8.1 Introduction 128

8.2 Capture of Interstellar Planetesimals 129

8.2.1 Planetesimal Size Distribution 129

8.2.2 Encounter Rates 130

8.2.3 Capture Condition 131

8.2.4 Capture Probability 133

8.2.5 Total Number of Captured Planetesimals 135

8.3 Catalyzed Lithopanspermia 137

8.3.1 Types of Panspermia 138

8.3.2 Fraction of Life-Bearing Rocks 139

8.3.3 Delivery Rates 140

8.4 Conclusion and Discussion 142

Acknowledgements 143

References 144

**9 Lithopanspermia at the Center of Spiral Galaxies 149
**Howard Chen

9.1 Introduction 150

9.2 The Kepler Transit Survey and the Distribution of Living Worlds 152

9.3 XUV Hydrodynamic Escape and the Formation of Habitable Evaporated Cores 153 9.3.1 Activity of Super...