About the Book This pioneering textbook offers an exciting and rigorous introduction to a wide range of sciences, including astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, and cosmology. It has been developed specifically for emerging courses in astrobiology, though it can also be used for introductory astronomy courses with an emphasis on life. Life in the Universe captures the imagination of students by exploring fundamental pan-scientific questions, such as: how did life begin on Earth, what are the most extreme forms of life currently known, how likely is life elsewhere in our solar system and beyond, and what are the challenges of trying to colonize another planet? The text motivates non-science majors to develop an understanding of the nature and process of science through skillful writing and a wealth of pedagogical features. An award-winning author and contributor team spanning the sciences ensures that coverage is complete, authoritative, and accessible. What professors are saying about Life in the Universe: "This textbook combines the explosion in our knowledge of life on Earth with the latest findings about solar system environments, extrasolar planets, and SETI. It is the right text at the right time for teaching some of the fastest-moving topics in science." Chris Chyba, Carl Sagan Chair for the Study of Life in the Universe, SETI Institute, and Stanford University "A thoughtful and well-written tour through the emerging field of astrobiology. Many university educators will want to use this book." Professor James Kasting, Penn State University "... very readable and complete... very clear and engaging." Richard Frankel, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo "... well-written, very interesting, and covers very well the broad sweep of sciences included in astrobiology." Stacy Palen, University of Washington "Very well written and accessible... one of the best expositions of the subject I have ever seen. The end-of-chapter questions are extensive, thought provoking, and pitched at just the right level." Sukanta Bose, Washington State University "... the level of reading is excellent throughout... the material is very easy to follow. The authors know their stuff and explain it very well. Unlike many textbooks nowadays, it's well written and thought provoking... " Juan Cabanela, Haverford College "... very readable and compelling. Key topics are explained in such a way that my non-scientist students will really understand them." David Thomas, Lyon College "... asks lots of good questions throughout the text... should encourage the student to really think about this exciting subject." Harold Geller, George Mason University "The finest text on the subject I have ever encountered... it should become a classic." Wayne Anderson, Sacramento City College What students are saying about Life in the Universe: "... attention grabbing, informative and well qualified." Orianna Bilby "... well organized and easy to understand." Thomas Wilburn "... uses simple language, is easy to read and has a good breakdown of concepts." "The language and overall organization are very conducive to learning and understanding." Deeptha Mathavan "... easy and enjoyable to read." Amanda Ashton "... incredibly easy to comprehend, making topics that should have been very difficult, extremely easy." Erica Radcliffe "... extremely readable, and the topics are well-laid out, well-covered and explained in plain language. Lots of good examples and analogies are included." Tamara Wenmeir "I like the writing style of the book. It is simple and easy to read, neither complicated nor overly technical." "This is a good book and works well on every important level." Carl Thames