Publisher's Synopsis
Throughout its history, mankind has wondered about the origins and the distribution of life in the universe. Since the development of space technologies and the exploration of the Moon and of our neighbour planets by use of space vehicles, extraterrestrial biology has become established as a scientific topic. Comets, chondritic meteorites and interplanetary dust of our solar system bear witness to the existence of a dynamic organic chemistry from its earliest stages, during the condensation of the solar nebula. Recent observational, theoretical and experimental studies of comets, above all of the comet Halley and of our volatile-rich minor bodies, and their relationship to the early evolution of terrestrial planets and the origin of life were discussed at the meetings on "Structure and Organic Chemistry in Comets" and "Chemical, Physical and Astronomical Perspectives on Life in the Universe". Among the terrestrial planets and satellites, Mars has received increased interest within the space agencies, which have put forward a number of mission scenarios, including human expeditions.
