Before Astrobiology There Was Aстробиология

Contrary to what NASA may want you to think, the word “Astrobiology” was used decades before NASA began using it to describe the study of extraterrestrial life.

This book “Astrobiology” – “Aстробиология” was published (in Russian) in 1953 in the USSR.

The photos below illustrate the topics that the book covered.

This is the Table of contents ( via Google translate)

CONTENTS

Basic properties of the planets of the solar system – 5
Birth of astro-botanists – 14
Self-radiation of plants – 29
Optical adaptability of plants to high temperatures – 31
The dual role of self-radiation in plant life – 34
Plants under harsh conditions of existence – 38
The hypothesis of the paleobotanist of Mars and Venus – 44
The adaptability of lower organisms to environmental conditions – 52
Is it possible Life of microorganisms plan-Tax – 57
Prospects for the development of astrobiology – 60
Omnipresent life (explanatory text “Table of Life”) – 62
References – 67