ORIGINS OF LIFE: .

This annotated collection of papers on the origins of life provides easy access to the original work in this field for specialists, the curious layman, and students alike. The editors' goal was to weave the principal threads of contemporary research from the various historical antecedents. They have chosen papers with both scientific and historical significance, not simply those that reflect the established views of the day. The readings are organized into six topical areas and arranged chronologically within each group. This book may be used as a supplement to courses in cell biology, chemistry, evolution, system theory, and history and philosophy of science, or as a primary text for a course on the origins of life.

The volume editors, David W. Deamer and Gail R. Fleischaker, are, respectively, experimentalist and theorist active in the origins-of-life field. Their commentary explores the theoretical issues underlying the broader topics and evaluates the historical impact of each paper.