Cosmology Research in India: a Scientometric Study
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Prebiological Evolution and the Metabolic Origins of Life
Prebiological Evolution and the Andrew J. Pratt* Metabolic Origins of Life University of Canterbury Keywords Abiogenesis, origin of life, metabolism, hydrothermal, iron Abstract The chemoton model of cells posits three subsystems: metabolism, compartmentalization, and information. A specific model for the prebiological evolution of a reproducing system with rudimentary versions of these three interdependent subsystems is presented. This is based on the initial emergence and reproduction of autocatalytic networks in hydrothermal microcompartments containing iron sulfide. The driving force for life was catalysis of the dissipation of the intrinsic redox gradient of the planet. The codependence of life on iron and phosphate provides chemical constraints on the ordering of prebiological evolution. The initial protometabolism was based on positive feedback loops associated with in situ carbon fixation in which the initial protometabolites modified the catalytic capacity and mobility of metal-based catalysts, especially iron-sulfur centers. A number of selection mechanisms, including catalytic efficiency and specificity, hydrolytic stability, and selective solubilization, are proposed as key determinants for autocatalytic reproduction exploited in protometabolic evolution. This evolutionary process led from autocatalytic networks within preexisting compartments to discrete, reproducing, mobile vesicular protocells with the capacity to use soluble sugar phosphates and hence the opportunity to develop nucleic acids. Fidelity of information transfer in the reproduction of these increasingly complex autocatalytic networks is a key selection pressure in prebiological evolution that eventually leads to the selection of nucleic acids as a digital information subsystem and hence the emergence of fully functional chemotons capable of Darwinian evolution. 1 Introduction: Chemoton Subsystems and Evolutionary Pathways Living cells are autocatalytic entities that harness redox energy via the selective catalysis of biochemical transformations. -
Why Can't Cosmology Be More Open?
ISSN: 2641-886X International Journal of Cosmology, Astronomy and Astrophysics Opinion Article Open Access Why can’t Cosmology be more open? Jayant Narlikar* Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Ganeshkhind, Post Bag 4, Pune-411007, India Article Info Keywords: Cosmology, Galaxy, Big Bang, Spectrum *Corresponding author: More than two millennia back, Pythagoreans believed that the Earth went round a Jayant Narlikar central fire, with the Sun lying well outside its orbit. When sceptics asked,” Why can’t we Emeritus Professor see the fire?”, theorists had to postulate that there was a ‘counter-Earth’ going around Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics the central fire in an inner orbit that blocked our view of the fire. The sceptics asked Ganeshkhind, Post Bag 4 again: why don’t we see this ‘counter-Earth’? The theorists replied that this happened Pune, India because Greece was facing away from it. In due course this explanation too was also Tel: +91-20-25604100 shot down by people sailing around and looking from other directions. Fax: +91-20-25604698 E-mail: [email protected] I have elaborated this ancient episode because it holds a moral for scientists. When you are on the wrong track, you may have to invoke additional assumptions, like the Received: November 5, 2018 counter-Earth, to prop up your original theory against an observed fact. If there is no Accepted: November 15, 2018 other independent support for these assumptions, the entire structure becomes suspect. Published: January 2, 2019 The scientific approach then requires a critical re-examination of the basic paradigm. -
History of the Straw
In attaining our ideals, our means should be as pure as the end! 02 Dr Rajendra Prasad KNOWLEDGEPEDIA Staying up there Space Station, around 2025 The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) lost contact with its lunar Within a decade, India wants to have a lander and rover but experts say the Chandrayaan-2 is “95% successful” as the space station up there. The station will help astronauts stay longer in space to mission’s space probe has been put in its orbit around the moon. It can send back conduct experiments. India wants to valuable data that will help ISRO’s future missions. Here’s a look at the missions the launch the space station by 2025 around the time the International Space Station space agency has lined up in the coming years is decommissioned around 2028. China is also planning a large space station in the lower Earth orbit. Origins of the universe Astrosat-2, 2025 India plans to send a second observatory in space. It will be a follow-up mission of Astrosat-1 — India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space Reaching for the Sun telescope — aimed at looking at the origin of the universe and discover Aditya-1, 2019-2020 new planets. ISRO is finalising a plan for the mission. Aditya-I is India’s first dedicated scientific mission to study the Sun. A 400 kg class space Befriending a solar sibling Drilling with Japan telescope will be inserted into a halo orbit 1.5 million km from the Earth to study the three Mission Venus, 2023 Moon Mission, 2023 layers of the sun — photosphere, chromosphere ISRO is planning a mission to the Earth’s ISRO and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and corona, the outer atmosphere of the star in “twin sister” – Venus. -
NASA Technical Memorandum 0000
NASA/TM–2016-219182 Frontier In-Situ Resource Utilization for Enabling Sustained Human Presence on Mars Robert W. Moses and Dennis M. Bushnell Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia April 2016 NASA STI Program . in Profile Since its founding, NASA has been dedicated to the CONFERENCE PUBLICATION. advancement of aeronautics and space science. The Collected papers from scientific and technical NASA scientific and technical information (STI) conferences, symposia, seminars, or other program plays a key part in helping NASA maintain meetings sponsored or this important role. co-sponsored by NASA. The NASA STI program operates under the auspices SPECIAL PUBLICATION. Scientific, of the Agency Chief Information Officer. It collects, technical, or historical information from NASA organizes, provides for archiving, and disseminates programs, projects, and missions, often NASA’s STI. The NASA STI program provides access concerned with subjects having substantial to the NTRS Registered and its public interface, the public interest. NASA Technical Reports Server, thus providing one of the largest collections of aeronautical and space TECHNICAL TRANSLATION. science STI in the world. Results are published in both English-language translations of foreign non-NASA channels and by NASA in the NASA STI scientific and technical material pertinent to Report Series, which includes the following report NASA’s mission. types: Specialized services also include organizing TECHNICAL PUBLICATION. Reports of and publishing research results, distributing completed research or a major significant phase of specialized research announcements and feeds, research that present the results of NASA providing information desk and personal search Programs and include extensive data or theoretical support, and enabling data exchange services. -
The Socio-Economic Control of a Scientific Paradigm: Life As a Cosmic Phenomenon
THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTROL OF A SCIENTIFIC PARADIGM: LIFE AS A COSMIC PHENOMENON N.Chandra Wickramasinghe1 and Gensuke Tokoro2 1Buckingham Centre for Astrobiology; 1University of Buckingham, Buckingham, UK 2Hitotsubashi University, Institute of Innovation Research, Tokyo, Japan Abstract A major paradigm shift with potentially profound implications has been taking place over the past 3 decades at a rapidly accelerating pace. The Copernican revolution of half a millennium ago is now being extended to place humanity on the Earth in its correct cosmic perspective - an assembly of cosmically derived genes, no more, no less, pieced together over 4 billion years of geological history against the processes of Darwinian natural selection. The evidence for our cosmic ancestry has now grown to the point that to deny it is a process fraught with imminent danger. We discuss the weight of modern scientific evidence from diverse sources, the history of development of the relevant ideas, and the socio-economic and historical forces that are responsible for dictating the pace of change. Keywords: panspermia, cosmic origins of life, economics, history of science 1. Introduction “Falsehood and delusion are allowed in no case whatever: but, as in the exercise of all the virtues, there is an economy of truth. It is a sort of temperance, by which a man speaks truth with measure that he may speak it the longer….” - Edmund Burke, 1849: The works of Edmund Burke, with a memoir 2. Harper & Brothers. p. 248. Economy of Truth is a principle of limitation often used by politicians whenever the Whole Truth is deemed strategically unwise. We show in this article that the same principle is used in science as a mode of controlling the flow of information, and the mechanism of control involves the collective, and often covert decisions of large and diffuse groups. -
Evidence to Clinch the Theory of Extraterrestrial Life
obiolog str y & f A O u o l t a r e n a Chandra Wickramasinghe, Astrobiol Outreach 2015, 3:2 r c u h o J Journal of Astrobiology & Outreach DOI: 10.4172/2332-2519.1000e107 ISSN: 2332-2519 EditorialResearch Article OpenOpen Access Access Evidence to Clinch the Theory of Extraterrestrial Life Chandra Wickramasinghe N1,2,3 1Buckingham Centre for Astrobiology (BCAB), Buckingham University, UK 2Institute for the Study of Panspermia and Astroeconomics, Gifu, Japan 3University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka New data may serve to bring about the long overdue paradigm probe) appears to have been finally vindicated, both by the discovery of shift from theories of Earth-centred life to life being a truly cosmic organic molecules on the surface, and more dramatically by the recent phenomenon. The theory that bacteria and viruses similar to those discovery of time-variable spikes in methane observed by the Curiosity on Earth exist in comets, other planets and generally throughout the galaxy was developed as a serious scientific discipline from the early 1980’s [1-4]. Throughout the past three decades this idea has often been Relectivity Spectrum the subject of criticism, denial or even ridicule. Even though many discoveries in astronomy, geology and biology continued to provide supportive evidence for the theory of cosmic life, the rival theory of Earth-centered biology has remained deeply rooted in scientific culture. However, several recent developments are beginning to strain the credibility of the standard point of view. The great abundance of highly complex organic molecules in interstellar clouds [5], the plentiful existence of habitable planets in the galaxy numbering over 100 billion and separated one from another just by a few light years [6], the extreme space-survival properties of bacteria and viruses -make it exceedingly difficult to avoid the conclusion that the entire galaxy is a single connected biosphere. -
Chaotic Universe Model Ekrem Aydiner
www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN Chaotic universe model Ekrem Aydiner In this study, we consider nonlinear interactions between components such as dark energy, dark matter, matter and radiation in the framework of the Friedman-Robertson-Walker space-time and propose a simple interaction model based on the time evolution of the densities of these components. Received: 28 July 2017 By using this model we show that these interactions can be given by Lotka-Volterra type equations. We numerically solve these coupling equations and show that interaction dynamics between dark Accepted: 15 December 2017 energy-dark matter-matter or dark energy-dark matter-matter-radiation has a strange attractor for Published: xx xx xxxx 0 > wde >−1, wdm ≥ 0, wm ≥ 0 and wr ≥ 0 values. These strange attractors with the positive Lyapunov exponent clearly show that chaotic dynamics appears in the time evolution of the densities. These results provide that the time evolution of the universe is chaotic. The present model may have potential to solve some of the cosmological problems such as the singularity, cosmic coincidence, big crunch, big rip, horizon, oscillation, the emergence of the galaxies, matter distribution and large-scale organization of the universe. The model also connects between dynamics of the competing species in biological systems and dynamics of the time evolution of the universe and ofers a new perspective and a new diferent scenario for the universe evolution. Te formation, structure, dynamics and evolution of the universe has always been of interest. It is commonly accepted that modern cosmology began with the publication of Einstein’s seminal article in 19171. -
INDIA JANUARY 2018 – June 2020
SPACE RESEARCH IN INDIA JANUARY 2018 – June 2020 Presented to 43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly, Sydney, Australia | Jan 28–Feb 4, 2021 SPACE RESEARCH IN INDIA January 2018 – June 2020 A Report of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) For the 43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly 28 January – 4 Febuary 2021 Sydney, Australia INDIAN SPACE RESEARCH ORGANISATION BENGALURU 2 Compiled and Edited by Mohammad Hasan Space Science Program Office ISRO HQ, Bengalure Enquiries to: Space Science Programme Office ISRO Headquarters Antariksh Bhavan, New BEL Road Bengaluru 560 231. Karnataka, India E-mail: [email protected] Cover Page Images: Upper: Colour composite picture of face-on spiral galaxy M 74 - from UVIT onboard AstroSat. Here blue colour represent image in far ultraviolet and green colour represent image in near ultraviolet.The spiral arms show the young stars that are copious emitters of ultraviolet light. Lower: Sarabhai crater as imaged by Terrain Mapping Camera-2 (TMC-2)onboard Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter.TMC-2 provides images (0.4μm to 0.85μm) at 5m spatial resolution 3 INDEX 4 FOREWORD PREFACE With great pleasure I introduce the report on Space Research in India, prepared for the 43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly, 28 January – 4 February 2021, Sydney, Australia, by the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR), Indian National Science Academy (INSA), and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). The report gives an overview of the important accomplishments, achievements and research activities conducted in India in several areas of near- Earth space, Sun, Planetary science, and Astrophysics for the duration of two and half years (Jan 2018 – June 2020). -
On the Cometary Origin of the Polonnaruwa Meteorite
Journal of Cosmology, Vol,21, No,38 published, 13 January 2013 ON THE COMETARY ORIGIN OF THE POLONNARUWA METEORITE N. C. Wickramasinghe*1, J. Wallis2, D.H. Wallis1, M.K. Wallis1, S. Al-Mufti1, J.T. Wickramasinghe1, Anil Samaranayake+3 and K. Wickramarathne3 1Buckingham Centre for Astrobiology, University of Buckingham, Buckingham, UK 2School of Mathematics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK 3Medical Research Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka ABSTRACT The diatoms discovered in the Polonnaruwa meteorite are interpreted as originating in comets and the dust in interstellar space. The exceptionally porous structure of the Polonnaruwa meteorite points to it being a recently denuded cometary fragment. Microorganisms that were present in a freeze-dried state within pores and cavities may have survived entry to be added to the terrestrial biosphere. Keywords: Meteorites, Carbonaceous chondrites, Diatoms, Comets, Panspermia Corresponding authors: *Professor N.C. Wickramasinghe, Director, Buckingham Centre for Astrobiology, University of Buckingham, Buckingham, UK: email – [email protected] +Dr Anil Samaranayake, Director, Medical Research Institute, Ministry of Health, Colombo, Sri Lanka: email – [email protected] 1 Journal of Cosmology, Vol,21, No,38 published, 13 January 2013 1. Introduction Over many years Hoyle and Wickramasinghe (2000) have argued that comets begin their lives as aggregates of interstellar grains mixed with water-ice derived from the solar nebula. The interstellar grains have been shown to be spectroscopically indistinguishable from a mixture of desiccated bacteria and diatoms with relatively minor admixtures of inorganic silicate, iron and graphite grains (Wickramasinghe, Hoyle and D.H.Wallis, 1997; Hoyle and Wickramasinghe, 1990, 2000). A small cometary fragment, <10km in radius, would have an initially melted core that remains in a liquid condition for ~ 1 million years due to heat generated by the decay of 26Al and 60Fe (Wickramasinghe, J.T et al, 2009; Wickramasinghe, J.T. -
LIST of PARTICIPANTS ABRAMOWICZ,M.A., International
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS ABRAMOWICZ,M.A., International Centre for Advanced Studies.Trieste,Italy AGRAWAL,P.C., Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.Bombay 400005,India ALIGHIERI,S.di S., ST-ECF, ESO, Garching bei München, West Germany ALLADIN,S.M., CASA, Osmania University, Hyderabad 500007, India ALL0IN,D., Observatoire de Meudon, Meudon Principal Cedex, France ANANTHAKRISHNAN,S., Radio Astronomy Centre(TIFR),0otacamund 643001,India ANANTHARAMIAH,Κ., Raman Research Institute, Bangalore 560080, India ANDERSON,M., Institute of Astronomy,Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 OHE,UK BAILEY,J., Anglo Australian Observatory, Epping, NSW 2121, Australia BALDWIN,J.Ε., Cavendish Laboratory,Madingley Road,Cambridge CB3 OHE, UK BARR,P., European Southern Observatory, 6100 Darmstadt, West Germany BARTEL,N., Centre for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, Ma,USA BARTHEL,Ρ.D., Owens Valley Radio Obs., Caltech, Pasadena, Ca 91125, USA BARVAINIS,R., NRAO, Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, Va 22903, USA BERGERON,J.A., Institute d'Astrophysique, 98 Bis.bd. Arago, Paris BHATTACHARYA,D., Raman Research Institute, Bangalore 560080, India BHATTACHARYYA,J.C., Indian Inst, of Astrophysics,Bangalore 560034,India BHAVSAR,S., Raman Research Institute, Bangalore 560080, India BIRKINSHAW,M., Dept. Astronomy, Harvard University, Cambridge, Ma, USA BLADES,J.C, Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md 21218,USA BLANDFORD,R.D., Theoretical Astrophysics, Caltech,Pasadena,Ca 91125,USA BOKSENBERG, A. , Royal Greenwich Obs., Hausham, E.Sussex BN27 1RP, UK BRAMWELL,D., National Inst, for Telecomm. Research,Johannesburg,S.Africa BREGMAN,J.N., NRAO, Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, Va 22903, USA BR0DIE,J.P., University of California, Sp.Sc.Lab, Berkeley,Ca 94720,USA BURBIDGE,G.R., Univ. of California, San Diego, La Jolla, Ca 92093, USA BURKE,B.F., Dept. -
States of Origin: Influences on Research Into the Origins of Life
COPYRIGHT AND USE OF THIS THESIS This thesis must be used in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Reproduction of material protected by copyright may be an infringement of copyright and copyright owners may be entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. Section 51 (2) of the Copyright Act permits an authorized officer of a university library or archives to provide a copy (by communication or otherwise) of an unpublished thesis kept in the library or archives, to a person who satisfies the authorized officer that he or she requires the reproduction for the purposes of research or study. The Copyright Act grants the creator of a work a number of moral rights, specifically the right of attribution, the right against false attribution and the right of integrity. You may infringe the author’s moral rights if you: - fail to acknowledge the author of this thesis if you quote sections from the work - attribute this thesis to another author - subject this thesis to derogatory treatment which may prejudice the author’s reputation For further information contact the University’s Director of Copyright Services sydney.edu.au/copyright Influences on Research into the Origins of Life. Idan Ben-Barak Unit for the History and Philosophy of Science Faculty of Science The University of Sydney A thesis submitted to the University of Sydney as fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2014 Declaration I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person, nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma of a University or other institute of higher learning. -
Copy of RIOJA Survey
RIOJA Survey ABOUT YOU Q1. Please let us know the primary area of your research: Astrophysics Cosmology Early universe cosmology Galactic astrophysics High-energy astrophysics Observational cosmology Particle astrophysics Solar system astrophysics Solar system physics Stellar astrophysics Other (please specify) Q2. From the following options, please select the one that best describes your current role: Professor/Full Professor Reader Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor Lecturer/Assistant Professor Senior Research Fellow Research Fellow Research Associate/Research Assistant Other Q3. From the following options, please select those that best describe your current responsibilities (tick all boxes that apply): Editor/member of editorial board of peer reviewed journal Head of department Head of research unit/group Publisher - commercial Publisher - not for profit Publisher - University press Research Teaching Other (please specify) Q4. Please let us know how for many years (post Ph.D.) you have been engaged in reseach: More than 10 years 6-10 years 0-5 years Q5. Is English your first language? Yes No PUBLISHING YOUR RESEARCH Q6. In which form is your research most commonly written up? Book(s) Chapter(s) in book(s) Papers for submission to peer reviewed journals Papers included in conference proceedings Workshop papers Other (please specify) Q7. Approximately, how many papers for submission to refereed journals have you produced in the last 2 years? Q8. In which of the following peer reviewed journals have you published your papers? Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences Astronomical Journal Astronomy and Astrophysics Astronomy and Astrophysics Review Astrophysical Journal Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Nature New Journal of Physics Physical Review D Physical Review Letters Science Other (please specify) Q9.