First Steps in the Origin of Life in the Universe: Proceedings of the Sixth Trieste Conference on Chemical Evolution Trieste, Italy 18–22 September, 2000

Peptide Nucleic Acids as a Possible Primordial Genetic Polymer.- Physics and Life.- Solution to Darwin’S Dilemma: Discovery of the Missing Precambrian Record of Life.- Europa: Prospects For An Ocean And Life.- Sidney Walter Fox; The Father of Thermal Proteins and Protocells Therefrom.- Theories on Origins of Life Between 1860 and 1900 the Spontaneous Generation Controversy Years Post Darwin And Pasteur’s Works.- Reminiscences-Pont-A-Mousson-1970 to Trieste-2000.- Materials For “First Steps” In Evolution.- Contributions.- Origin and Persistence of Genetic Material in Prebiotic Habitats. The Possible Role of Nucleic Acid-Clay Complexes.- Chemical Evolution Studies in Organic Compounds Adsorbed in Clays.- From Inanimate Macromolecules To The Animate Protocell: In Search Of Thermal Protein Phase-Shifting.- Hplc Evidence Of Nonrandomness In Thermal Proteins.- IR Spectra Of Protein, Thermal Protein, And Thermal Glycoprotein.- Prebiotic Selection Induced By Periodic Starlight.- A Model System For Studying The Role Of Phosphoryl Group In Energy Transfer System.- Demonstration Of The Parity Violating Energy Difference In Phase Transition Of D- And L-Alanine And Valine.- Two Puctuation Systems In The Genetic Code.- Studies On Metal Ferrocyanides As Prebiotic Catalyst.- Stability Of Ribonucleic Acid in Protective Environments of Alkanes ? n-C18 — Results From Experiments in Laboratory.- Is Boric Acid The Missing Link in Prebiotic Chemistry.- A Phosphoramide-Bonded Polynucleobasephosphates as Riboseless Precursors of RNA?.- Cometary Molecules and Life’s Origin.- When and How Quickly Did Life Emerge on Earth?.- Contributions.- Cosmochemistry in The Early Universe.- Absorption Against The Cosmic 2.7 K Background.- Can Bio-Molecules be Formed in CollapsingInterstellar Clouds?.- Interstellar Molecules: An Exotic Chemistry.- Protoplanetary Disks, Solar System Minor Bodies And Origin Of Life.- Electric Discharge in Carbonaceous Meteorites?.- Terrene Meteorites on The Moon: A Source Of Information About The Origin of Life in The Earth?.- Two Possible Steps of The Chemical Evolution on Surface of Small Bodies in The Solar System.- Tetra- and Nonapeptidyl Motifs in The Origin And Evolution Of Photosynthetic Bioenergy Conversion.- Geochemical Habitats in Hydrothermal Systems.- Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents: An Example of Extreme Environment on Earth.- Contributions.- Catalytic Capability of Oligopeptides in The Interface Chemistry in Hydrothermal Environments.- Volcanic Lightning and The Availability of Reactive Nitrogen And Phosphorus for Chemical Evolution.- Planetary Habitable Zones: The Spatial Distribution of Life on Planetary Bodies.- Geological And Geochronological Constraints For The Age of The Oldest Putative Biomarkers in The Early Archaean Rocks of West Greenland.- The Cenancestor And Its Contemporary Biological Relics: The Case of Nucleic Acid Polymerases.- Likelihood of Transport of Life Between The Planets of Our Solar System.- Contributions.- The Nucleotide And Nucleotede-Like Coenzymes in Primitive Metabolism, Photobiology And Evolution.- From Extremophiles to Astrobiology.- Adaptative Response of A Fungus Species to Hydrocarbonenvironments — Results From Experiments in Laboratory.- Origins of Life in The Universe and Earliest Prokaryotic Microorganisms on Earth.- Persistence of Living Planktonic Foraminifera (Neoglobuquadrina pachyderma) in Antarctic Sea-Ice Inferred From a Study of a Sediment Core (Ross Sea Continental Margin).- Testing Evolutionary Convergence: From Rna World to Intelligence.- The Search ForA Second Genesis of Life in Our Solar System.- Ancient Life on Mars and Earth.- SEARCH FOR LIFE ON MARS: THE MARS EXPRESS BEAGLE-2 LANDER.- Contributions.- Search for Enantiomeric Excess in Extraterrestrial Samples. Interest For Mars Sample Return.- Changes on The Surface of Mars Resulting From Inner Factors and Imp Actors.- Spatial And Temporary Patterns of Some Climate Parameters Around The Timberline of Pico De Orizaba.- The Satellites of Saturn.- Titan: Exobiology And The Cassini-Huygens Mission.- Contributions.- Experimental And Theoretical Photochemical Studies of Polyynes: Application to Titan’s Atmosphere.- Experimental Simulation of Titan’s Atmosphere By Cold Plasmas.- Ways To Detect Life on New Planets.- Searching For Water in Exoplanets.- The Saha Crater Radioastronomic and Seti Observatory: Set-Up of The Data Link.- Contributions.- Natural Intelligence And Cellular Complexity.- Extraterrestrial Life And Communication Perspectives.- On The Last Terms Of Drake Equation: The Problem of Energy Sources.- Origins And Creation.- Life in The Universe: Philosophical and Theological Issues.- Implications of Possible Biological Evolution Outside Habitable Zones in Solar Systems.- Cosmopark-A Natural Astronomical Observatory.- Spanish Photographic Meteor Network: An Interdisciplinary Crosslink.- New Paradigms for Seti.- The Plurality of Worlds.- Author index.- List of participants.