This book is about origins: the origin of the universe, matter stars and planets
systems, and finally, the origin of life -topics of profound interest that are
rarely considered together. The Origins of Life and the Universe is a culmination
of Lurquin?s own quest for understanding and his experiences in the classroom.
The two pillars of modern physics, relativity and quantum theory, are elucidated
in a way that shows the reader that the physical world of energy, matter,
radiation (and their interactions) can be understood very precisely and often
counter-intuitively -and how they can be applied to the Big Bang model of the
creation of the universe. The book then considers the role of genetics and DNA
and ultimately examines how "protocells" may have started a kind of integrated
metabolism and how horizontal gene transfer may have speeded up evolution.
Finally, Lurquin examines the possibilities of the end of life and the destruction
of the universe, either by nuclear war or natural means.

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