“For Ziurys, however, the ultimate key to understanding the origins and evolution of life on Earth isn't on Earth. To understand why all terrestrial life is carbon-based, why life uses only twenty of the possible dozens of potential amino acids, why iron is the metal atom around which the hemoglobin in our blood binds—to understand any of these life mysteries—we must look to the stars. For Ziurys, and a new era of scientists, our story doesn't begin on Earth; it begins with stardust.”