Title: Rare earth
Subtitle: why complex life is uncommon in the universe
First published: 2000
Description: "While it is widely believed that complex life is common, even widespread, throughout the billions of stars and galaxies of our Universe, astrobiologists Peter D. Ward and Donald Brownlee argue that advanced life may, in fact, be very rare, perhaps even unique.".

"Ward and Brownlee question underlying assumptions and take us on a search for life that reaches from the volcanic hot springs deep on our ocean floors to the frosty face of Europa, Jupiter's icy moon.

In the process, we learn that, while microbial life may well be more prevalent throughout the Universe than previously believed, the conditions necessary for the evolution and survival of higher life - and here the authors consider everything from DNA to plate tectonics to the role of our Moon - are so complex and precarious that they are unlikely to arise in many other places, if at all."--BOOK JACKET.
Subjects: Exobiology, Life on other planets, Long Now Manual for Civilization, Science (General), Astronomy, Popular Science, Popular Science in Astronomy, Science, general, Origin of life, Life--origin, Extraterrestrial environment, Qb54 .w336 2000, Qh 325 w262r 2000, 576.8/39