Genesis: The Scientific Quest for Life's Origin.(Brief Article)(Book Review)

Genesis: The Scientific Quest for Life's Origin ROBERT M. HAZEN. Joseph Henry, $27.95 (384p) ISBN 0-309-09432-1

What is the meaning of life? Hazen (co-author, Science Matters: Achieving Scientific Literacy) can't answer that, but he may be able to shed light on how life started. We're all familiar with the "primordial soup" theory: organic building blocks floating around in Earth's ocean four billion years ago combined to form the first primitive organisms. Hazen explains the many rival theories wing for public attention. The discovery of life near hydrothermal vents deep in the ocean have led some scientists to propose …