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Gene Flow: Monitoring, Modeling and Mitigation
by Wei Wei And C. Neal Stewart JrGene flow is a natural process that occurs spontaneously and enables the evolution of life. However, with the release of genetically modified organisms, concerns have focused on introduced foreign transgenes and their dispersal in nature through gene flow. This book examines gene flow of transgenes, such as herbicide resistance genes, with the goal of understanding the factors that may affect the process of gene flow. A greater biological understanding is essential to make sound management regulatory decisions when also taking into consideration the processes that happen in conventional plants. Monitoring, modelling, and mitigation are the three most closely related elements of gene flow. The book includes both scientific reviews and perspectives on gene flow and experimental case studies, including studies of gene flow in soybean and poplar. The authors present diverse views and research methodologies to understand transgene flow. This book: Focuses on applications of gene flow (monitoring, modelling, and mitigation); Includes both review chapters and case studies; Is written by international team of scientists currently working in gene flow. This book will be valuable for students and researchers in genetics, biotechnology, plant science, and environmental science. It also provides key insights of value to regulators of biotechnology as well as policy-makers.
Gene Pool Diversity and Crop Improvement
by Vijay Rani Rajpal S. Rama Rao S. N. RainaThe world population is estimated to reach to more than 10 billion by the year 2050. These projections pose a challenging situation for the agricultural scientists to increase crops productivity to meet the growing food demands. The unavailability and/or inaccessibility to appropriate gene pools with desired traits required to carry out genetic improvement of various crop species make this task formidable for the plant breeders. Incidentally, most of the desired genes reside in the wild genetic relatives of the crop species. Therefore, exploration and characterization of wild genetic resources of important crop species is vital for the efficient utilization of these gene pools for sustainable genetic improvements to assure food security. Further, understanding the myriad complexities of genic and genomic interactions among species, more particularly of wild relatives of crop species and/or phylogenetically distant germplasm, can provide the necessary inputs to increase the effectiveness of genetic improvement through traditional and/or genetic engineering methods. This book provides comprehensive and latest insights on the evolutionary genesis of diversity, access and its utilization in the evolution of various crop species. A comprehensive account of various crops, origin, exploitation of the primary, secondary and tertiary gene pools through breeding, biosystematical, cytogenetical and molecular phylogenetical relationships, and genetic enhancement through biotechnological interventions among others have been provided as the necessary underpinnings to consolidate information on the effective and sustainable utilization of the related genetic resources. The book stresses upon the importance of wild germplasm exploration, characterization and exploitation in the assimilation of important crop species. The book is especially intended for students and scientists working on the genetic improvement of crop species. Plant Breeders, Geneticists, Taxonomists, Molecular Biologists and Plant Biotechnologists working on crop species are going to find this book very useful.
The Gene Revolution and Global Food Security: Biotechnology Innovation in Latecomers
by Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka Padmashree Gehl SampathUsing the concept of innovation capacity, this book, using recent field data from countries in Asia and Africa, competently demonstrates how biotechnology can contribute to sustainable economic development. The approach articulates the imperative for developing countries to build up specific capabilities backed up by policies and institutions.
A Genealogy of Tropical Architecture: Colonial Networks, Nature and Technoscience (Architext)
by Jiat-Hwee ChangA Genealogy of Tropical Architecture traces the origins of tropical architecture to nineteenth century British colonial architectural knowledge and practices. It uncovers how systematic knowledge and practices on building and environmental technologies in the tropics were linked to military technologies, medical theories and sanitary practices, and were manifested in colonial building types such as military barracks, hospitals and housing. It also explores the various ways these colonial knowledge and practices shaped post-war techno scientific research and education in climatic design and modern tropical architecture. Drawing on the interdisciplinary scholarships on postcolonial studies, science studies, and environmental history, Jiat-Hwee Chang argues that tropical architecture was inextricably entangled with the socio-cultural constructions of tropical nature, and the politics of colonial governance and postcolonial development in the British colonial and post-colonial networks. By bringing to light new historical materials through formidable research and tracing the history of tropical architecture beyond what is widely considered today as its "founding moment" in the mid-twentieth century, this important and original book revises our understanding of colonial built environment. It also provides a new historical framework that significantly bears upon contemporary concerns with climatic design and sustainable architecture. This book is an essential resource for understanding tropical architecture and its various contemporary manifestations. Its in-depth discussion and path breaking insights will be invaluable to specialists, academics, students and practitioners.
La generación despierta
by Bruno Rodríguez Eyal WeintraubBruno Rodríguez y Eyal Weintraub, cofundadores de la agrupación ambiental Jóvenes por el clima, parte del movimiento Fridays for Future creado por Greta Thunberg, comparten su visión sobre la crisis climática y analizan el rol vital de la juventud en la construcción de un nuevo paradigma que permita imaginar un futuro distinto en el planeta. En el año 2019, los jóvenes Bruno Rodriguez y Eyal Weintraub, recién salidos del colegio secundario, observaron lo que la huelga de Greta Thunberg en Suecia estaba generando a nivel global y entendieron que había que poner manos a la obra. La agrupación que fundaron, Jóvenes por el clima, es hoy una referencia ineludible en el movimiento ambiental argentino. Son audaces, son irreverentes y no se callan nada. Este libro es un análisis fulminante de los factores que condujeron a la situación crítica que hoy amenaza la vida en el planeta. Es también una reflexión política profunda, que pone el foco en las desigualdades y denuncia la inacción de los gobiernos. Y es sobre todo una reivindicación de la utopía y del espíritu transformador que puede guiarnos en la creación de un futuro distinto.
General Agriculture for West Africa (Routledge Library Editions: Agriculture #13)
by Q.B. Olatunji AnthonioFirst published in 1979. This study examines various aspects of agriculture in West Africa. There is a strong chapter on the economics of agriculture and records, farm machinery, agricultural improvement, fish and the basics of crop and livestock production are all dealt with. The role of government policy in the improvement of agriculture is also examined. This title will be useful to undergraduates concerned with agriculture who want a good grounding before going on to their specialised fields of the applied sciences, as well as to those interested in commercial farming and policy makers in civil administration.
General and Statistical Thermodynamics (Graduate Texts in Physics)
by Raza Tahir-KheliThis textbook provides comprehensive information on general and statistical thermodynamics. It begins with an introductory statistical mechanics course, deriving all the important formulae meticulously and explicitly, without mathematical shortcuts. In turn, the main part of the book focuses on in-depth discussions of the concepts and laws of thermodynamics, van der Waals, Kelvin and Claudius theories, ideal and real gases, thermodynamic potentials, phonons and all related aspects. To elucidate the concepts introduced and to provide practical problem-solving support, numerous carefully worked-out examples are included. The text is clearly written and punctuated with a number of interesting anecdotes. The book also provides alternative solutions to problems and second equivalent explanations of important physical concepts. This second edition has been expanded to cover the foundations of superconductivity with new chapters on Cooper pairs, the Bogoliubov transformation, and superconductivity. It is suitable as a main thermodynamics textbook for upper-undergraduate students and provides extensive coverage, allowing instructors to ‘pick and choose’ the elements that best match their class profile.
General Relativity and Cosmology: A First Encounter (Graduate Texts in Physics)
by Ronald J. AdlerGravitational physics has now become a mainstream topic in physics and physics teaching. In particular cosmology and gravitational wave physics are at the focus of a great deal of current research. Thus it is important to introduce students to General Relativity as soon as reasonable. This textbook offers a brief but comprehensive treatment accessible to advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and any physicist or mathematician interested in understanding the material in a short time. The author, an experienced teacher of the subject, has included numerous examples and exercises to help students consolidate the ideas they have learned.
General Relativity and its Applications: Black Holes, Compact Stars and Gravitational Waves
by Paolo Pani Valeria Ferrari Leonardo GualtieriContaining the latest, groundbreaking discoveries in the field, this text outlines the basics of Einstein’s theory of gravity with a focus on its most important astrophysical consequences, including stellar structures, black holes and the physics of gravitational waves. Blending advanced topics - usually not found in introductory textbooks - with examples, pedagogical boxes, mathematical tools and practical applications of the theory, this textbook maximises learning opportunities and is ideal for master and graduate students in Physics and Astronomy. Key features:• Provides a self-contained and consistent treatment of the subject that does not require advanced previous knowledge of the field.• Explores the subject with a new focus on gravitational waves and astrophysical relativity, unlike current introductory textbooks.• Fully up-to-date, containing the latest developments and discoveries in the field.
General Theory of Light Propagation and Imaging Through the Atmosphere
by T. Stewart MckechnieThis book lays out a new, general theory of light propagation and imaging through Earth's turbulent atmosphere. Current theory is based on the - now widely doubted - assumption of Kolmogorov turbulence. The new theory is based on a generalized atmosphere, the turbulence characteristics of which can be established, as needed, from readily measurable properties of point-object, or star, images. The pessimistic resolution predictions of Kolmogorov theory led to lax optical tolerance prescriptions for large ground-based astronomical telescopes which were widely adhered to in the 1970s and 1980s. Around 1990, however, it became clear that much better resolution was actually possible, and Kolmogorov tolerance prescriptions were promptly abandoned. Most large telescopes built before 1990 have had their optics upgraded (e. g. , the UKIRT instrument) and now achieve, without adaptive optics (AO), almost an order of magnitude better resolution than before. As well as providing a more comprehensive and precise understanding of imaging through the atmosphere with large telescopes (both with and without AO), the new general theory also finds applications in the areas of laser communications and high-energy laser beam propagation.
General Theory of Light Propagation and Imaging Through the Atmosphere (Progress in Optical Science and Photonics #20)
by T. Stewart McKechnieThis 2nd edition lays out an updated version of the general theory of light propagation and imaging through Earth’s turbulent atmosphere initially developed in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, with additional applications in the areas of laser communications and high-energy laser beam propagation. New material includes a chapter providing a comprehensive mathematical tool set for precisely characterizing image formation with the anticipated Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTS), enabling a staggering range of star image shapes and sizes; existing chapters rewritten or modified so as to supplement the mathematics with clearer physical insight through written and graphical means; a history of the development of present-day understanding of light propagation and imaging through the atmosphere as represented by the general theory described. Beginning with the rudimentary, geometrical-optics based understanding of a century ago, it describes advances made in the 1960s, including the development of the ‘Kolmogorov theory,’ the deficiencies of which undermined its credibility, but not before it had done enormous damage, such as construction of a generation of underperforming ‘light bucket’ telescopes. The general theory requires no a priori turbulence assumptions. Instead, it provides means for calculating the turbulence properties directly from readily-measurable properties of star images.
The General Theory of Relativity
by Andrew Debenedictis Anadijiban DasThe General Theory of Relativity: A Mathematical Exposition will serve readers as a modern mathematical introduction to the general theory of relativity. Throughout the book, examples, worked-out problems, and exercises (with hints and solutions) are furnished. Topics in this book include, but are not limited to: tensor analysis the special theory of relativity the general theory of relativity and Einstein's field equations spherically symmetric solutions and experimental confirmations static and stationary space-time domains black holes cosmological models algebraic classifications and the Newman-Penrose equations the coupled Einstein-Maxwell-Klein-Gordon equations appendices covering mathematical supplements and special topics Mathematical rigor, yet very clear presentation of the topics make this book a unique text for both university students and research scholars. Anadijiban Das has taught courses on Relativity Theory at The University College of Dublin, Ireland, Jadavpur University, India, Carnegie-Mellon University, USA, and Simon Fraser University, Canada. His major areas of research include, among diverse topics, the mathematical aspects of general relativity theory. Andrew DeBenedictis has taught courses in Theoretical Physics at Simon Fraser University, Canada, and is also a member of The Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences. His research interests include quantum gravity, classical gravity, and semi-classical gravity.
Generalized Dynamics of Soft-Matter Quasicrystals: Mathematical Models, Solutions and Applications (Springer Series in Materials Science #260)
by Tian-You Fan Wenge Yang Hui Cheng Xiao-Hong SunThis book highlights the mathematical models and solutions of the generalized dynamics of soft-matter quasicrystals (SMQ) and introduces possible applications of the theory and methods. Based on the theory of quasiperiodic symmetry and symmetry breaking, the book treats the dynamics of individual quasicrystal systems by reducing them to nonlinear partial differential equations and then provides methods for solving the initial-boundary value problems in these equations. The solutions obtained demonstrate the distribution, deformation and motion of SMQ and determine the stress, velocity and displacement fields. The interactions between phonons, phasons and fluid phonons are discussed in some fundamental materials samples. The reader benefits from a detailed comparison of the mathematical solutions for both solid and soft-matter quasicrystals, gaining a deeper understanding of the universal properties of SMQ. The second edition covers the latest research progress on quasicrystals in topics such as thermodynamic stability, three-dimensional problems and solutions, rupture theory, and the photonic band-gap and its applications. These novel chapters make the book an even more useful and comprehensive reference guide for researchers in condensed matter physics, chemistry and materials sciences.
Generalized Frequency Distributions for Environmental and Water Engineering
by Vijay P. Singh Lan ZhangA multitude of processes in hydrology and environmental engineering are either random or entail random components which are characterized by random variables. These variables are described by frequency distributions. This book provides an overview of different systems of frequency distributions, their properties, and applications to the fields of water resources and environmental engineering. A variety of systems are covered, including the Pearson system, Burr system, and systems commonly applied in economics, such as the D'Addario, Dagum, Stoppa, and Esteban systems. The latter chapters focus on the Singh system and the frequency distributions deduced from Bessel functions, maximum entropy theory, and the transformations of random variables. The final chapter introduces the genetic theory of frequency distributions. Using real-world data, this book provides a valuable reference for researchers, graduate students, and professionals interested in frequency analysis.
The Generalized Multipole Technique for Light Scattering: Recent Developments (Springer Series on Atomic, Optical, and Plasma Physics #99)
by Thomas Wriedt Yuri EreminThis book presents the Generalized Multipole Technique as a fast and powerful theoretical and computation tool to simulate light scattering by nonspherical particles. It also demonstrates the considerable potential of the method. In recent years, the concept has been applied in new fields, such as simulation of electron energy loss spectroscopy and has been used to extend other methods, like the null-field method, making it more widely applicable. The authors discuss particular implementations of the GMT methods, such as the Discrete Sources Method (DSM), Multiple Multipole Program (MMP), the Method of Auxiliary Sources (MAS), the Filamentary Current Method (FCM), the Method of Fictitious Sources (MFS) and the Null-Field Method with Discrete Sources (NFM-DS). The Generalized Multipole Technique is a surface-based method to find the solution of a boundary-value problem for a given differential equation by expanding the fields in terms of fundamental or other singular solutions of this equation. The amplitudes of these fundamental solutions are determined from the boundary condition at the particle surface. Electromagnetic and light scattering by particles or systems of particles has been the subject of intense research in various scientific and engineering fields, including astronomy, optics, meteorology, remote sensing, optical particle sizing and electromagnetics, which has led to the development of a large number of modelling methods based on the Generalized Multipole Technique for quantitative evaluation of electromagnetic scattering by particles of various shapes and compositions. The book describes these methods in detail.
Generalized Statistical Thermodynamics: Thermodynamics of Probability Distributions and Stochastic Processes (Understanding Complex Systems)
by Themis MatsoukasThis book gives the definitive mathematical answer to what thermodynamics really is: a variational calculus applied to probability distributions. Extending Gibbs's notion of ensemble, the Author imagines the ensemble of all possible probability distributions and assigns probabilities to them by selection rules that are fairly general. The calculus of the most probable distribution in the ensemble produces the entire network of mathematical relationships we recognize as thermodynamics. The first part of the book develops the theory for discrete and continuous distributions while the second part applies this thermodynamic calculus to problems in population balance theory and shows how the emergence of a giant component in aggregation, and the shattering transition in fragmentation may be treated as formal phase transitions. While the book is intended as a research monograph, the material is self-contained and the style sufficiently tutorial to be accessible for self-paced study by an advanced graduate student in such fields as physics, chemistry, and engineering.
Generalized Wavelets and Hypergroups
by Khalifa TrimecheWavelets have recently been enjoying a period of popularity and rapid growth, and the influence of wavelet methods now extends well beyond mathematics into a number of practical fields, including statistics. The theory of hypergroups can be traced back to the turn of the century, and following its formalization in the early 1970s, the area has now
Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in an Age of Climate Crisis
by Britt WrayFINALIST FOR THE GOVERNOR GENERAL'S LITERARY AWARDA CBC BEST CANADIAN NONFICTION BOOK OF 2022AN INDIGO TOP TEN BEST SELF-HELP BOOK OF 2022"A vital and deeply compelling read.&” —Adam McKay, award-winning writer, director and producer (Don&’t Look Up)&“Britt Wray shows that addressing global climate change begins with attending to the climate within.&” —Dr. Gabor Maté, author of The Myth of Normal"Read this courageous book.&” —Naomi KleinAn impassioned generational perspective on how to stay sane amid climate disruption.Climate and environment-related fears and anxieties are on the rise everywhere. As with any type of stress, eco-anxiety can lead to lead to burnout, avoidance, or a disturbance of daily functioning. In Generation Dread, Britt Wray seamlessly merges scientific knowledge with emotional insight to show how these intense feelings are a healthy response to the troubled state of the world. The first crucial step toward becoming an engaged steward of the planet is connecting with our climate emotions, seeing them as a sign of humanity, and learning how to live with them. We have to face and value eco-anxiety, Wray argues, before we can conquer the deeply ingrained, widespread reactions of denial and disavowal that have led humanity to this alarming period of ecological decline.It&’s not a level playing field when it comes to our vulnerability to the climate crisis, she notes, but as the situation worsens, we are all on the field—and unlocking deep stores of compassion and care is more important than ever. Weaving in insights from climate-aware therapists, critical perspectives on race and privilege in this crisis, ideas about the future of mental health innovation, and creative coping strategies, Generation Dread brilliantly illuminates how we can learn from the past, from our own emotions, and from each other to survive—and even thrive—in a changing world.
Generation Dread: Finding Purpose In An Age Of Climate Anxiety
by Britt Wray“Generation Dread is a vital and deeply compelling read.”—Adam McKay, award-winning writer, director, and producer (Vice, Succession, Don’t Look Up) “Read this courageous book.”—Naomi Klein, author of This Changes Everything “Wray shows finally that meaningful living is possible even in the face of that which threatens to extinguish life itself.”—Dr. Gabor Maté, author of When the Body Says No When we’re faced with record-breaking temperatures, worsening wildfires, more severe storms, and other devastating effects of climate change, feelings of anxiety and despair are normal. In Generation Dread, Britt Wray reminds us that our distress is, at its heart, a sign of our connection to and love for the world. The first step toward becoming a steward of the planet is connecting with our climate emotions—seeing them as a sign of our humanity and empathy and learning how to live with them. Britt Wray, a scientist and expert on the psychological impacts of the climate crisis, brilliantly weaves together research, insight from climate-aware therapists, and personal experience, to illuminate how we can connect with others, find purpose, and thrive in a warming, climate-unsettled world.
Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life
by Linda Sivertsen Tosh SivertsenWe all know about the Earth's environmental crisis, but there is someone who can truly make a difference: you. If you text your friends or chat with them online, download music to your iPod, or toss bottles and papers into recycling bins, you're already more eco-savvy than you think. It's just as easy to do even more to help save the earth, and Generation Green shows you how. This book lays out the inside scoop on the biggest issues affecting our planet, such as global warming and overflowing landfills. Offers dozens of tips on how to shop, dress, eat, and travel the green way. Includes interviews with teens like you who are involved with fun, innovative green causes. Shows that being environmentally conscious can be a natural part of your life -- and your generation's contribution to turning things around. It doesn't matter if you can't vote or drive. Your efforts -- big or small -- will contribute to saving the planet. It's time for all of us to take action. It's time to go green!
Generation Green
by Tosh Sivertsen Linda SivertsenWe all know about the Earth's environmental crisis, but there is someone who can truly make a difference: you. If you text your friends or chat with them online, download music to your iPod, or toss bottles and papers into recycling bins, you're already more eco-savvy than you think. It's just as easy to do even more to help save the earth, and Generation Green shows you how. This book: Lays out the inside scoop on the biggest issues affecting our planet, such as global warming and overflowing landfills * Offers dozens of tips on how to shop, dress, eat, and travel the green way * Includes interviews with teens like you who are involved with fun, innovative green causes * Shows that being environmentally conscious can be a natural part of your life -- and your generation's contribution to turning things around. It doesn't matter if you can't vote or drive. Your efforts -- big or small -- will contribute to saving the planet. It's time for all of us to take action. It's time to go green!
Generation Us: The Challenge of Global Warming (Rapid Reads)
by Dr. Andrew J. WeaverIn clear and accessible language, Generation Us explains the phenomenon of global warming, outlines the threat it presents to future generations and offers a path toward solutions to the problem. The reality of global warming has long been accepted within the scientific community, yet it remains a hotly debated topic at the political and social level. Why is this? Is it the fact that the ultimate effects of global warming will not be felt in our lifetimes? Do we really feel no moral responsibility for future generations? Dr. Weaver, one of the world's leading experts in the field, contends that, just as humans have been responsible for creating the problem of global warming, we must also be the solution.
The Genesis Flood Revisited
by Andrew SnellingModeled after the 1961 ground-breaking book The Genesis Flood by Drs. Whitcomb and Morris, this detailed work builds on that classic volume with new insights from decades of work by the author, Dr. Andrew Snelling, and numerous colleagues. This recent revolution in geology and the explosion in geological research have established an even firmer basis for understanding the biblical Flood with a God-honoring foundation — the absolute authority and inerrancy of God’s Word. Examine details of the Creation Week as it builds a solid scriptural case for the Flood’s catastrophic nature and global extent. Find decisive answers to many questions about the Flood and Noah’s Ark, its construction, and the animals taken onboard. Delve deeply into astonishing geological details that unfold from the early chapters of Genesis, including the Creation Week and the pre-Flood world. Explore detailed evidence and a concise, informative 30-page color section with diagrams, maps, and more! Dr. Snelling jettisons the faulty evolutionary-uniformitarian assumptions used by most geologists and instead, interprets compelling new geological and observed field data within the biblical framework for the earth’s history. He also demonstrates that fossils were catastrophically buried in sedimentary layers being deposited rapidly on a global scale on the continental plates derived from the violent rifting apart of the original supercontinent. His work demolishes radiometric dating, the icon of the millions of years dogma, and builds a thoroughly powerful case for a young earth that explains many geological features such as varves, evaporites, coal, oil, chalk, granites, and more that biblical skeptics sadly have used to scoff at God’s Word. Discover the powerful truth behind the earth’s most enduring mysteries!
Génesis: The Story Of How Everything Began
by Guido TonelliTudo nasce de uma simples e inevitável pergunta: «De onde vem tudo isto?» Um ensaio admirável sobre o início de tudo que devolve à Humanidade a verdadeira história das suas origens. No princípio, era o caos. Talvez os gregos tivessem razão, já que muitas observações da física moderna parecem confirmá-lo. Mas o que aconteceu realmente nos primeiros instantes da vida do universo? Do caos descrito por Hesíodo ao bosão de Higgs, Guido Tonelli, renomado físico do CERN e professor na universidade de Pisa, emula a estrutura narrativa bíblica da criação do mundo em sete dias para relatar, em sete capítulos e assinalável fascínio, a estranha singularidade que permitiu a formação do universo e a sopa primordial de onde surgiu a Vida. Com inesperada simplicidade e incontestável poesia, Tonelli segue o fio condutor da consciência para responder à sempiterna pergunta: De onde vem tudo isto? A narração de como tudo começou, da formação das partículas, da matéria, das estrelas, dos humanos e do seu pensamento simbólico, de tudo quanto existe, portanto, é acompanhada pela recuperação dos mitos ancestrais criados e transmitidos de geração em geração em torno da origem do universo, bem como do relato de histórias fascinantes de cientistas que dedicaram a vida à investigação do enigma da origem, de Galileu a Stephen Hawking, com os seus momentos Eureka! e as histórias anedócticas que entraram para a história da ciência e do mundo. «Nós, os cientistas, somos como os homens na caverna de Platão: tentamos libertar-nos dos grilhões - conclusões erradas -, tentamos dar um nome às sombras, tentamos sair da caverna para ver a luz.» Guido Tonelli
Genesis - In The Beginning
by Joseph SeckbachGenesis - In The Beginning deals with the origin and diversity of Life and early biological evolution and discusses the question of where (hot or cold sources) and when the beginning of Life took place. Among the sections are chapters dealing with prebiotic chemical processes and considering self-replication of polymers in mineral habitats. One chapter is dedicated to the photobiological regime on early Earth and the emergence of Life. This volume covers the role of symmetry, information and order (homochrial biomolecules) in the beginning of Life. The models of protocells and the genetic code with gene transfer are important topics in this volume. Three chapters discuss the Panspermia hypothesis (to answer "Are we from outer Space?"). Other chapters cover the Astrobiological aspects of Life in the Universe in extraterrestrial Planets of the Solar System and deal with cometary hydrosphere (and its connection to Earth). We conclude with the history and frontiers of Astrobiogy.