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amino acids
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organic compounds that are the molecular building blocks of proteins
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astrobiology
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the multidisciplinary study of life in the universe: its origin, evolution, distribution, and fate; similar terms are
exobiology
and
bioastronomy
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biomarker
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evidence of the presence of life, especially a global indication of life on a planet that could be detected remotely (such as an unusual atmospheric composition)
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DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
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a molecule that stores information about how to replicate a cell and its chemical and structural components
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Drake equation
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a formula for estimating the number of intelligent, technological civilizations in our Galaxy, first suggested by Frank Drake
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extremophile
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an organism (usually a microbe) that tolerates or even thrives under conditions that most of the life around us would consider hostile, such as very high or low temperature or acidity
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gene
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the basic functional unit that carries the genetic (hereditary) material contained in a cell
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habitable environment
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an environment capable of hosting life
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habitable zone
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the region around a star in which liquid water could exist on the surface of terrestrial-sized planets, hence the most probable place to look for life in a star’s planetary system
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organic compound
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a compound containing carbon, especially a complex carbon compound; not necessarily produced by life
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organic molecule
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a combination of carbon and other atoms—primarily hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur—some of which serve as the basis for our biochemistry
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photosynthesis
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a complex sequence of chemical reactions through which some living things can use sunlight to manufacture products that store energy (such as carbohydrates), releasing oxygen as one by-product
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protein
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a key biological molecule that provides the structure and function of the body’s tissues and organs, and essentially carries out the chemical work of the cell
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RNA (ribonucleic acid)
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a molecule that aids in the flow of genetic information from DNA to proteins
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SETI
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the search for extraterrestrial intelligence; usually applied to searches for radio signals from other civilizations
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stromatolites
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solid, layered rock formations that are thought to be the fossils of oxygen-producing photosynthetic bacteria in rocks that are 3.5 billion years old
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thermophile
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an organism that can tolerate high temperatures