Ccristine Zucchi

The book Fundamentals of Life is a bold attempt at gathering all basic knowledge of Humanity regarding the 'Mother of all questions': the essence and origin of life. The Editors are aided by first-class prominence in realising these high-set goals, including Christian de Duve (NP Medicine/Biology, 1972), George A. Olah (NP Chemistry, 1994), Gustaf 0. Arrhenius (Origins-of-Life Science, San Diego, CA, USA), Günther von Kiedrowski (Biochemistry, Bochum, Germany), Brian Johnstone (moral Theology, Rome), Paul G. Mezey (Theoretical Chemistry, Saskatoon, Canada) or Julius Rebek, Jr (Chemical Biology, La Jolla, CA, USA) and Kenso Soai (Autocatalysis, Tokyo) [only to name a few] and several others, together with will-be prominences of the youngest generation as Robert Szilagyi (Stereochemistry, Stanford, CA, USA), Massimo Nardello (Theology, Modena) or Alec A. Schaerer (Philosophy, Zurich). The spectrum of the scientific approach is unusually broad. The 48 Chapters are divided into four sections: 'Definitions of Life'; 'Origin(s) of Life', - 'Basic ('background') Research' as well as 'Moral, Religious and Philosophical Aspects'. The sections are of equilibrated size and joined together by an excellent introductory chapter of the Editors: 'Dimensions of Life'. A rich source of concentrated speculations is collected in the chapter 'Short Definitions of Life', where the answers of 81 excellent scientists, all creative in this field, offer unusual intellectual fireworks. The book will become a reference work for a very broad readership ranging from college students to highly specialised research scientists and even clergymen or philosophers.