Dr. Wolfe argues convincingly that life on our planet most likely began notin some primordial ocean but rather deep beneath the surface under extremetemperature conditions, and that this information should be considered inour search for extraterrestrial life. These largely unseen ecologicalcommunities play surprisingly critical roles in human civilization. Dr.Wolfe is Associate Professor of Plant Ecology in the Department ofHorticulture at Cornell University, and a member of Cornell'sBiogeochemistry Program.