Clay Minerals and the Origin of Life

Clay Minerals and the Origin of Life
Author: Alexander Graham Cairns-Smith
Publisher: CUP Archive
Total Pages: 216
Release: 1986-12-18
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780521324083

This volume is the edited proceedings of a conference seeking to clarify the possible role of clays in the origin of life on Earth. At the heart of the problem of the origin of life lie fundamental questions such as: What kind of properties is a model of a primitive living system required to exhibit and what would its most plausible chemical and molecular makeup be? Answers to these questions have traditionally been sought in terms of properties that are held to be common to all contemporary organisms. However, there are a number of different ideas both on the nature and on the evolutionary priority of 'common vital properties', notably those based on protoplasmic, biochemical and genetic theories of life. This is therefore the first area for consideration in this volume and the contributors then examine to what extent the properties of clay match those required by the substance which acted as the template for life.

Origin and Mineralogy of Clays

Origin and Mineralogy of Clays
Author: Bruce Velde
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 500
Release: 2013-03-09
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3662126486

Origin and Mineralogy of Clays, the first of two volumes, lays the groundwork for a thorough study of clays in the environment. The second volume will deal with environmental interaction. Going from soils to sediments to diagenesis and hydrothermal alteration, the book covers the whole spectrum of clays. The chapters on surface environments are of great relevance in regard to environmental problems in soils, rivers and lake-ocean situations, showing the greatest interaction between living species and the chemicals in their habitat. The book is of interest to scientists and students working on environmental issues.

Seven Clues to the Origin of Life

Seven Clues to the Origin of Life
Author: Alexander Graham Cairns-Smith
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 148
Release: 1990-09-13
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780521398282

The mysteries surrounding the origins of life on earth are written in detective story fashion by a world famous scientist in this popular version of Genetic Takeover, originally published in 1982.

Introduction to Clay Minerals

Introduction to Clay Minerals
Author: Velde
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 262
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9401123683

Introduction to Clay Minerals is designed to give a detailed, concise and clear introduction to clay mineralogy. Using the information presented here, one should be able to understand clays and their mineralogy, their uses and importance in modern life.

Clay Minerals in Nature

Clay Minerals in Nature
Author: Marta Valaskova
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
Total Pages: 330
Release: 2012-09-12
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9535107380

Clay is an abundant raw material which has a variety of uses and properties depending on their structure and composition. Clay minerals are inexpensive and environmentally friendly naturally occurring nanomaterials, thanks to their 1 nm thick silicate layers, in all types of sediments and sedimentary rocks. The book chapters have been classified according to their characteristics in topics and applications. Therefore, in the first section five chapters is dedicated to the characterization and utilization of clay minerals in deposits. The second section includes four chapters about the significance of clay minerals in soils. Third section is devoted to different aspects of clay minerals research, especially to the characterization of structure and modifications for their application.

Handbook of Clay Science

Handbook of Clay Science
Author:
Publisher: Newnes
Total Pages: 1748
Release: 2013-07-23
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0080993710

The first edition of the Handbook of Clay Science published in 2006 assembled the scattered literature on the varied and diverse aspects that make up the discipline of clay science. The topics covered range from the fundamental structures (including textures) and properties of clays and clay minerals, through their environmental, health and industrial applications, to their analysis and characterization by modern instrumental techniques. Also included are the clay-microbe interaction, layered double hydroxides, zeolites, cement hydrates, and genesis of clay minerals as well as the history and teaching of clay science. The 2e adds new information from the intervening 6 years and adds some important subjects to make this the most comprehensive and wide-ranging coverage of clay science in one source in the English language. Provides up-to-date, comprehensive information in a single source Covers applications of clays, as well as the instrumental analytical techniques Provides a truly multidisciplinary approach to clay science

The Origin of Clay Minerals in Soils and Weathered Rocks

The Origin of Clay Minerals in Soils and Weathered Rocks
Author: Bruce B. Velde
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 407
Release: 2008-07-18
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3540756345

Of huge relevance in a number of fields, this is a survey of the different processes of soil clay mineral formation and the consequences of these processes concerning the soil ecosystem, especially plant and mineral. Two independent systems form soil materials. The first is the interaction of rocks and water, unstable minerals adjusting to surface conditions. The second is the interaction of the biosphere with clays in the upper parts of alteration profiles.