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2013 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

7. The Boundaries of Life

Authors : Charles S. Cockell, Sophie Nixon

Published in: Astrochemistry and Astrobiology

Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg

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Abstract

The boundaries of life are set by the physical and chemical limits beyond which functions associated with life, including growth and reproduction, cannot occur. Although these limits might appear to be specific to terrestrial life, thermodynamics and the basic biophysical properties of carbon-based molecules mean that the boundary of life using carbon as a molecular backbone and water as a solvent (the ‘biospace’) is likely to be universal, although exhibiting small variations depending on the particular molecular architecture adopted by life. Entirely novel biospaces using different chemistries (e.g. ammonia as a solvent) might be possible, although there is currently no empirical evidence for these alternative life chemistries.

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Title: The Boundaries of Life
Authors: Charles S. Cockell
Sophie Nixon
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Book: Astrochemistry and Astrobiology
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-31729-3

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-642-31730-9

Copyright Year: 2013
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-31730-9_7

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