The origin of life on Earth has been mulled over by scientists for centuries. We now know that life’s building blocks are RNA, amino acids, and cells. But if life originated from the primordial ooze of early Earth, could that process be unfolding elsewhere in the universe?
The search for life elsewhere in the universe is at the center of the book Is Earth Exceptional?: The Quest for Cosmic Life, by Mario Livio and Jack Szostak. Dr. Livio, an astrophysicist previously with the Space Telescope Science Institute, which operates the Hubble Space Telescope, joins Ira to talk about the possibilities of life beyond Earth, and where we would most likely find it.
Read an excerpt of Is Earth Exceptional?: The Quest for Cosmic Life.
Further Reading
- Learn about Mario Livio’s work via his website.
- Read some new research on the early origins of cell walls via UChicago.
Segment Transcript
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