The expanding horizons of cosmic life

Nalin Chandra Wickramasinghe; J. V. Narlikar; J. T. Wickramasinghe; Milton Wainwright

doi:10.1117/12.459301

26 February 2003 Expanding cosmic horizons of life

Nalin Chandra Wickramasinghe, J. V. Narlikar, J. T. Wickramasinghe, Milton Wainwright

Proceedings Volume 4859, Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology V; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.459301
Event: Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 2002, Waikoloa, Hawai'i, United States

Abstract

The conceptual boundaries of life are rapidly expanding far beyond the confines of our planet to encompass an ever-widening region of the universe. Complex organic molecules in interstellar dust and comets appear most plausibly to be biologically derived, or at least closely related spectroscopically and structurally to such material. A de novo origin of life from non-living material is reckoned to have so minuscule a probability that its occurrence once in the universe can be considered miracle enough. The widespread distribution of similar material (e.g with the characteristics of the diffuse infrared bands and 2175 absorption features) throughout the galaxy and in external galaxies adds weight to the theory of panspermia, where it is supposed that the components of life at a generic level are readily transferred from one place to another. Spectroscopic evidence consistent with life extends to redshifts z=0.83, and from elemental abundance studies alone (e.g, of C, O and metals) in distant galaxies the possibility of cosmic life extends to redshifts as high as z=2.7.

Citation Download Citation

Nalin Chandra Wickramasinghe, J. V. Narlikar, J. T. Wickramasinghe, and Milton Wainwright "Expanding cosmic horizons of life", Proc. SPIE 4859, Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology V, (26 February 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.459301

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available