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What will they look like? That is the question addressed in this wonderfully illustrated book for "earthlings" who want to explore beyond the cardboard aliens of television science fiction to find out what science says about our cosmic cousins from other planet--if they exist.

Author Terence Dickinson, an acclaimed astronomy writer, examines t! he picture we have absorbed from TV and movies about creatures from other planets, from the friendly visitor in E.T. to the savage creature in Alien and the gaggle of other-worldly folk from Star Trek and its clones. Dickinson then explains how the variety of environments in the universe could give rise to creature far more different from us than anything Hollywood's invented.

Through the talents of illustrator Adolf Schaller, one of the chief artists and Emmy-award winner from Carl Sagan's Cosmos television series, alien worlds come alive with plants, insects and animals never dreamed of before. Yet, Schaller's vision is based on sound assumptions about the gravity of each hypothetical planet, the type of star that it orbits and other factors that bring plausible alien environments to life. The book winds up with a look at "life as we don't know it," featuring creatures and entities that might have evolved from something other that carbon-based biology, the foundation of ! Earth life.

A unique blend of science and imagination, Extraterrestrials will compel anyone who has ever thought about what-and who-might be out there.

Customer Reviews (7)

A wonderful supplement to a xenobiological library.
The first thing that makes this book stand out from other books in its genre is clear and original illustrations.For those with an interest in aliens it offers insights into possibilities without getting bogged down in confusing esoterica.

But that generalization is a bit of a double-edged sword.Tantalizing concepts are occasionally presented with little explanation, and relevant controversies are overlooked.In essence, the author raises questions that, even if he has no intention of answering them, he doesn't acknowledge.

A book for all ages
It is not for children only as some claim.
This book is for all ages.
Nothing wrong with fables and fantasies.
They are good for the heart and the mind.
I love this book.
A great companion.
I wish a great success for this writer who is well known worldwide.

S. Mahdi, Caro, Egypt.

Xenophanes
Cute book.Written mainly for children and young adults.It would have been nice to own this when I was a child as it clearly illustrates some basic principles of evolution/alien life/planetary physics.Eventhough it is simplistic I still value it as part of my collection for its illustrations that make your points clear to anyone who is interested in learning about this topic.

Great for anyone!
I bought this book at a book fair back in junior high probably 10 years ago. I must have read it cover to cover over a dozen times back then and the book still sits on my shelf today. Great illustrations, interesting concepts. This book is certainly worth the price and is great for children just beginning to show an interest in space, aliens and sci-fi, or for adults who simply want a book that is a simple intro into basic extraterrestrial theory. The book starts off talking about aliens in movies, and then goes into what some aliens might look like depending on the type of planet they inhabit. While the book could stand to be updated, it really is just a lot of fun.

Perfect for Students
This is the perfect book to use with middle school and high school students.I use this as a reference for cross-curricular projects with science fiction, science, language arts, and government.The background and general information is not too much for students to digest and the illustrations are fabulous.When required to come up with feasible life-forms for various planet types, the breakdown of possibilities for "alien" senses helps students to consider new approaches.The specific planet descriptions are also immensely helpful, giving students something to build on, opening their minds to the limitless possibilities of extraterrestrial life.This is the singlarly essential building block for endless projects.I wish I could afford a class set.Marvelous! ... Read more

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Growing evidence, based on observations from orbiters, landers and telescopes, indicates that Mars may still have numerous hidden water reservoirs. Moreover, from the point of view of habitability, Mars is a prime target for astrobiologists in search of extant or extinct microbial life because we know that life exists in earth?s permafrost regions, such as parts of Siberia and the Antarctic, which are the closest terrestrial analogues to Mars. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A collection of papers on a fascinating topic
In the past month, more and more of us have begun to believe that liquid water has indeed flowed on the Martian surface at least once or twice in the past decade.

Well, what does all this mean about the past and present reservoirs of water on Mars?Could it be that Mars once supported life?Could it do so now?

While the findings from the past couple of years are too recent to be included in this book, I think this volume does put many of these questions into proper perspective.

We start with the history of water on Mars.That includes what we think we're learning from meteorites (we'd probably know much more if we had some sample return data). It also covers questions of atmospheric evolution (which certainly pertain to the question of whether subsurface water-ice-reservoirs exist at present there), analogies between conditions from which early life probably arose on Earth and conditions on ancient Mars, and hydrated minerals on Mars.

Next is a section on water reservoirs on Mars at present.This includes a discussion of the global distribution of subsurface water as measured by Mars Odyssey, an article on polar caps, a paper on ground ice in the Martian regolith, and a paper by the editor about the water cycle in the atmosphere and shallow subsurface.The conclusion here is that the seemingly tiny amount of atmospheric water (only a trillion kilograms) is still enough to account for observed Martian gullies.

The final section is about aqueous environments and the implications for life.It starts by asking about the potential for evidence of life on Mars that might be preserved in sediments and mineral precipitations associated with polar lakes, streams and springs.The next question to be addressed is whether ancient (and recent) lakes on Mars could have been possible habitats for life (or be the last oases of life there at present).After that comes a paper on impact craters, water, and microbial life.Impacts can cause water to be trapped in not only in craters but in fractures of shocked rocks.

If life did exist on Mars (or still exists there), is it in salty water?Quite possibly it is, and we can read about it in the penultimate paper on microbial life in brines, evaporites, and saline sediments.While the Viking mission experiments failed to detect any life on Mars, those missions did not, of course, examine any regions where there was liquid water.

The final paper is about the lessons for Mars exploration that we can derive from the microbiology of deep-sea hydrothermal vents. As evidence gets stronger that life on Earth may have arisen in or near such vents, the question of whether such vents also existed on Mars becomes more interesting.

I recommend this book.
... Read more

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"This is a wonderful book by two of the best historians of biology in the business."—Michael Ruse, author of Darwin and Design: Does Evolution Have a Purpose?

"The detailed and thorough research underpinning this book is truly remarkable."—Frank Drake, senior scientist and director of the Center for the Study of Life in the Universe, SETI Institute

The Living Universe is a comprehensive, historically nuanced study of the formation of the new scientific discipline of exobiology and its transformation into astrobiology. Among many other themes, the authors analyze how research on the origin of life became wedded to the search for life on other planets and for extraterrestrial intelligence. Many scientific breakthroughs of the last forty years were either directly supported or indirectly spun off from NASA’s exobiology program, including cell symbiosis, the discovery of the Archaea, and the theories of Nuclear Winter and the asteroid extinction of the dinosaurs.

Exobiology and astrobiology have generated public fascination, enormous public relations benefits for NASA, and––on the flip side of the coin––some of the most heated political wrangling ever seen in government science funding. Dick and Strick provide a riveting overview of the search for life throughout the universe, with all of the Earthly complexities of a science-in-the-making and the imperfect humans called scientists. Their book will appeal to biologists, historians and philosophers of science, planetary scientists (including geologists), and an educated general readership interested in the investigation of life on other planets. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent history of astrobiology
Dick and Strick present a history of astrobiological research from the 1950's to the present time. The reader is treated - and I mean treated - to wonderful expositions of the politics and science of NASA's involvement in astrobiology. Featuring early origin of life research, the Viking mission, and the Mars meteorite (among other topics), this work will appeal to scientists and historians alike. Most importantly, it is accessible to non-specialists. Well worth picking up if you are interested in astrobiology and how important that field is to the future of NASA. ... Read more

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This highly interdisciplinary book highlights many of the ways in which chemistry plays a crucial role in making life an evolutionary possibility in the universe. Cosmologists and particle physicists have often explored how the observed laws and constants of nature lie within a narrow range that allows complexity and life to evolve and adapt. Here, these anthropic considerations are diversified in a host of new ways to identify the most sensitive features of biochemistry and astrobiology. Celebrating the classic 1913 work of Lawrence J. Henderson, The Fitness of the Environment for Life, this book looks at the delicate balance between chemistry and the ambient conditions in the universe that permit complex chemical networks and structures to exist. It will appeal to a broad range of scientists, academics, and others interested in the origin and existence of life in our universe. ... Read more

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The Question of whether we are alone in the universe isone that has fascinated humankind since early times.But, as CarlSagan once said, "The search for extraterrestrial life must begin withthe question of what we mean by life."Astrobiologists today focus onthe origins of the earliest and simplest life forms, bacteria andother single-celled organisms.Using Earth as a prototypicalenvironment, they and other scientists tackle the question of life inthe universe.

Beginning with the Big Bang and formation of the universe, this richlyillustrated book discusses the emergence of life on Earth and beyond.Monica Grady discusses the factors necessary for the development ofmicroorganisms on Earth, including chemical building blocks likecarbon and water as well as an atmosphere that protects fromultraviolet radiation.She considers the possibility of life on otherplanets in the solar system, describing the conditions and diversehabitats that make Mars as well as some of Jupiter's and Saturn'smoons ideal candidates for research.In a final chapter she looksbeyond the solar system, searching for Earth-like planets or dustydisks of preplanetary material surrounding stars.

Beginning to answer the question "Are we alone" Astrobiologysummarizes what is known and can be extrapolated from our studies ofEarth, the solar system, and the galaxy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A most intruiging discussion
I'm sure had I read the book I'd think it was stellar.

Safe & Satisfying
This is one of eight books on Astrobiology which were rushed out after the publication of Joseph's revolutionary and ground breaking text, in May of 2000. Like the other seven competing volumes, this text differs from Joseph's, in that it strictly holds to the "party" line, as approved by the United States government, and repeats, without any critical analysis, mainstream scientific dogma. It you are interested in a very short book, with admittedly, amazing pictures, that provides a "safe" and "politically correct" and very brief overview of standard mainstream scientific dogma,then this is the book for you.

A Brief But Wonderful Little Book
Monica Grady is a world renowned expert and is probably best known for her edited volumes,Catalogue of Meteorites, which have generated rave reviews.Dr. Grady's text, Astrobiology, is a wonderful little book, which provides an excellent overview of the field and which contains numerous photos.It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and is this book is well worth reading and would be of interest to anyone desiring a brief but thorough introductory overview of the field of astrobiology. -Rhawn Joseph, Ph.D. author of: Astrobiology, the Origin of Life, and the Death of Darwinism

A very nice introduction
This may be only a small book but the text is accurate and the illustrations well chosen. Indeed, it's an ideal introduction to the subject for a young person interested in science or for a layperson wanting to know the basics of our quest to find life in the universe. I think the earlier reviewer was being unkind and a little mischievous in questioning the author's credentials. Monica Grady is actually head of petrology and meteoritics at the Natural History Museum in London and has carried out extensive research on the Martian meteorites and interstellar grains - topics of central importance to our understanding of what life might be like elsewhere. The truth is that astrobiology is a multidisciplinary science and its experts are drawn from fields as diverse as oceanography, planetary astronomy, origin of life research - and meteoritics. ... Read more

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Key Message: Life in the Universe takes readers on a journey through the solar system and beyond, using a rigorous yet accessible introduction to astronomy, biology, chemistry, and geology to explain natural phenomena and explore unanswered scientific questions. The Second Edition has been thoroughly revised to include updated scientific discoveries, optional quantitative coverage, an enhanced illustration program, and expanded coverage of the solar system and stellar material. Key Topics: Introducing Life in the Universe:  A Universe of Life?, The Science of Life in the Universe, The Universal Context of Life. Life on Earth: The Habitability of Earth, The Nature of Life on Earth, The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth. Life in the Solar System: Searching for Life in Our Solar System, Mars, Life on Jovian Moons, The Nature and Evolution of Habitability.   Life Among the Stars: Habitability Outside the Solar System, The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox. Epilogue: Contact – Implications of the Search and Discovery Market: For all readers interested in a rigorous yet accessible introduction to astronomy, biology, chemistry, and geology, while exploring fundamental pan-scientific questions such as: How did life begin on Earth? What are the most extreme forms of life currently known? What are the challenges of trying to colonize another planet?

Customer Reviews (5)

loved it
This is a great textbook.The information is up to date and it is very enjoyable to read.

Expensive, but worth it
This is a really expensive paperback, but it should have an honored place in your home, next to your dictionary, your atlas, your Roget's Thesaurus and your Holy Bible, Koran or any other book that is important to you.

Its opening chapter, "A Universe of Life," is awe-inspiring, summoning up as it does the almost-endless, vast reaches of known creation and inviting us to consider how MUCH there is out there that might be home to any form of life --from the submicroscopic to beings, well, something like us (although not much of the book is given over to the latter possibillity).

It tackles the place of religion, too, in all of this -- including Creationism and its offshoots -- and gives you some pretty good reasons for setting aside your feelings and just going along for the scientific ride in this 346-page stunner (plus appendixes).

The artwork is superb. Worth the price of admission by itself.

So, drag out the old credit card and put yourself even deeper into literary debt, because you will return to this book again and again over the years.

A good college text for non-science majors
This book seems to have two goals. One is to teach the reader something about astrobiology. The other is to be a text for a science course for college undergraduates (in most cases, underclassmen majoring in something other than science).

The book begins by discussing how stars and planets are formed. And then comes a major point: biology may be common in the universe given evidence that organic molecules form fairly easily, life appears to have originated early in the Earth's history, and there's evidence that Earth life can survive under a wide range of conditions.Next, there's a section on the nature of science and the scientific method. And then some material on the definition and nature of life. From there we go to the Earth's geological record. And there's a useful discussion of greenhouse gases, possible high surface temperatures on Earth when life first developed, and a possible "Snowball Earth" much later.

Now comes a key chapter: how did life get started? And when. The text shows that it was not all that long after the Earth emerged from forming and being heavily bombarded. And that hyperthermophiles may well have been the common ancestor of life on Earth today. The book speculates that the process was: synthesis of organic precursor molecules, development of replicators (RNA), development of protocells (enclosing membranes), primitive cells (the RNA world), and then DNA-based cells. It also addresses the question of whether life could have migrated to Earth from Mars or elsewhere. There's a discussion of the rise of oxygen in the atmosphere. And how primitive life evolved into the intelligent life that now exists.

These are certainly the right topics to start with. But I wish this book, even with the constraint of being for non-science majors, had gone into just a little more detail on all of them. It does just that on the rest of the topics.

The book continues with an excellent section about possibilities of life elsewhere in our planetary system, including the environmental requirements. We look at Mars (including evidence from Martian meteorites), Jovian moons, and Titan. And we see why Venus is too close to the Sun to be in the "habitable zone."I hope that the next edition of this book, due out in 2006, will mention the Saturnian moon Enceledus as well.

After that, there is a discussion of extrasolar planets and the serach for extraterrestrial intelligence. If anything, there is an excess of material here, including speculations about the possible technology levels of an intelligent society and interstellar travel. But this does lead to a worthwhile discussion of the Fermi paradox: if there are relatively nearby extraterrestrials, why aren't they here by now?

Writing an overview of this field for non-science majors is a daunting task, and I think the authors did a really good job. After reading such a book, I think one will find it much easier to understand any advances made in this field in the future.

A Very Delightful Book
This is the ONE Science Textbook I will keep forever and ever.

A good college text for non-science majors
This book seems to have two goals.One is to teach the reader something about astrobiology.The other is to be a text for a science course for college undergraduates (in most cases, underclassmen majoring in something other than science).

The book begins by discussing how stars and planets are formed.And then comes a major point: biology may be common in the universe given evidence that organic molecules form fairly easily, life appears to have originated early in the Earth's history, and there's evidence that Earth life can survive under a wide range of conditions.

Next, there's a section on the nature of science and the scientific method.And then some material on the definition and nature of life.From there we go to the Earth's geological record.And there's a useful discussion of greenhouse gases, possible high surface temperatures on Earth when life first developed, and a possible "Snowball Earth" much later.

Now comes a key chapter: how did life get started?And when.The text shows that it was not all that long after the Earth emerged from forming and being heavily bombarded.And that hyperthermophiles may well have been the common ancestor of life on Earth today.The book speculates that the process was: synthesis of organic precursor molecules, development of replicators (RNA), development of protocells (enclosing membranes), primitive cells (the RNA world), and then DNA-based cells.It also addresses the question of whether life could have migrated to Earth from Mars or elsewhere.There's a discussion of the rise of oxygen in the atmosphere.And how primitive life evolved into the intelligent life that now exists.

These are certainly the right topics to start with.But I wish this book, even with the constraint of being for non-science majors, had gone into just a little more detail on all of them.It does just that on the rest of the topics.

The book continues with an excellent section about possibilities of life elsewhere in our planetary system, including the environmental requirements.We look at Mars (including evidence from Martian meteorites), Jovian moons, and Titan.And we see why Venus is too close to the Sun to be in the "habitable zone."

After that, there is a discussion of extrasolar planets and the serach for extraterrestrial intelligence.If anything, there is an excess of material here, including speculations about the possible technology levels of an intelligent society and interstellar travel.But this does lead to a worthwhile discussion of the Fermi paradox: if there are relatively nearby extraterrestrials, why aren't they here by now?

Writing an overview of this field for non-science majors is a daunting task, and I think the authors did a really good job.After reading such a book, I think one will find it much easier to understand any advances made in this field in the future. ... Read more

Product Description

Astrobiology -- the study of the intimate relationship between life and the cosmos -- is a fast-growing field that touches on aspects of cosmology, astrophysics, and chemistry. In the first scholarly overview of this dynamic field, biochemists Kevin W. Plaxco and Michael Gross tell the story of life from the Big Bang to the present.

Emphasizing the biochemical nature of astrobiology, Plaxco and Gross examine the origin of the chemical elements, the events behind the developments that made the Universe habitable, and the ongoing sustenance of life. They discuss the formation of the first galaxies and stars, the diverse chemistry of the primordial planet, the origins of metabolism, the evolution of complex organisms, and the feedback regulation of Earth's climate. They also explore life in extreme habitats, potential extraterrestrial habitats, and the search for extraterrestrial life.

This broadly accessible introduction captures the excitement, controversy, and evolution of the dynamic young field of astrobiology. It shows clearly how scientists from different disciplines can combine their special knowledge to enhance our understanding of the Universe.

Customer Reviews (7)

astrobiology
It came in the condition described. very nice book. it's a nice course to take.

A fine academic summary for astrobiology
Plaxco and Gross give an expansive coverage for this topic. It is a bit too chemistry-oriented, with formulae of reactions discussed both via text discussions and figures. Also, the sidebars were fascinating, but at the same time distracting from the flow of the text. I think this is not a book for the casual reader, but rather a supplemental to a couse textbook on this topic.

Astrobiology by Plaxco & Gross
This is an excellent book; in a field inherently complex they have given sensible prose so the reader can follow the trajectory of an evolving cellular life on earth.Just one example:the Miller-Urey experiment did not resolve all questions, especially the question of prebiotic formation of lipids which derive from the reduction of the carbon-compound sugars.So where did the sugars get reduced?The sugar molecules come from the ocean passing through the elevated temperatures of the planetary crust, "where reduction can be catalyzed by the iron mineral troilite (FeS)".Apparantly, every 8 million years deep sea vents filter the ocean--in geologic time 8 million years is about a week.(page 80-81)The lipids are an important part of cell biology.Heinrich Holland's book The Chemical Evolution of the Atmosphere and Oceans (1984)is extremely technical and by now dated, but still recommended.Plaxco and Gross give updated information.Those early Hadean years and environment gave the groundwork for what was to happen eventually.

Superb overview of a key scientific discipline
When I was growing up, the science of extraterrestrial life was called exobiology. This was a difficult area of research since there was no evidence of any subject matter, and the term fell into disrepute. The modern successor is called astrobiology, which may still not be the best name. Anyhow, the idea is to study the possibility of life out there in all its contexts, to look at both the nature of the universe and how life developed and survives here on Earth to see what might be possible.

This book demonstrates the new approach to a "t." After an introductory chapter that attempts to define life, the second chapter, entitled "Origins of a Habitable Universe,"provides the best summary I've ever read of how the universe began and developed in its early stages, leading to how stars form and evolve. The story continues in the third chapter ("Origins of a Habitable Planet"), which covers how the solar system and eventually the Earth formed. The next four chapters start with chemistry and end with biology, going from discussing the basic chemical reactions that might have occurred on the early Earth and trying to work out how this led to life. And, once there was life, how it developed over time into ever more sophisticated and complex creatures, changing its environment along the way, as the invention of photosynthesis led to an atmosphere steeped with caustic oxygen, a nasty substance to early life but essential to the active metabolism of modern animals. The chemistry discussion is the single strongest portion of the book, not too surprising since one of the authors is a chemist.

The final chapters become more topical: extremophiles (life that exists in places you'd think were too nasty to support life), a survey of conceivably habitable areas of our solar system (and beyond), and, finally, the search for extraterrestrial life from the Viking missions (another excellent discussion, this time of the Viking biology experiments and their mixed conclusions) to the Mars meteorite to SETI.

There are maybe half-a-dozen truly great questions in science: How did the universe begin? How did it end? How did life begin? Are we alone? If there's any one science that ties all of these together, it's astrobiology. As our tools grow more sophisticated, and as we grow ever more capable of answering these questions, astrobiology will become ever more significant. Look for headlines worldwide on the day when - as this book predicts - we detect oxygen in the atmosphere of an alien planet, something that (so far as we know) could only be caused by life.

And if you want to be ready for that day, read this book. It covers all the relevant topics in clear and entertaining prose, always remaining comprehensible despite the sometimes arcane issues but never skimping on technical detail. You can read it quickly (as I had to do since it was a library book I'd been slow to get started on) and get the gist of a matter, or take your time to read carefully in order to truly understand what's going on (as I could do only a couple of times).

The copy of this book I have in hand is actually from my local library; however, I want this book by my side for further study and as a reference. I will definitely be buying a copy (if I don't get it for Christmas, that is!). I recommend this book highly to anyone interested in one of the most significant fields of scientific study there is. (Note that I don't give out five stars very often.)

Brilliant Book For The Armchair Scientist
Imagine that your best friend were some brilliant world-famous scientist.Now imagine that the two of you were sharing a beer one night, and you carelessly asked the question: "I wonder if there is life elsewhere in the Universe?"

This book would be his answer.

"Astrobiology," by Kevin Plaxco and Michael Gross, is the perfect book for the armchair scientist.It should sit on your bookshelf beside Hawking's "Brief History of Time."It would also be an excellent book for the curious undergraduate.

Plaxco and Gross fill the book with easy, accessible prose, and lots of great science.Best of all, the sidebars, with which the book is liberally sprinkled.They make you feel like you are busy bending an elbow with a scientist that has a wicked sense of humor.After all, how many science books can you think of that use the word `flummoxed'?

If the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" had a chapter on astrobiology, this would be it. ... Read more

Product Description
From Fossils to Astrobiology reviews developments in paleontology and geobiology that relate to the rapidly-developing field of Astrobiology, the study of life in the Universe. Many traditional areas of scientific study, including astronomy, chemistry and planetary science, contribute to Astrobiology, but the study of the record of life on planet Earth is critical in guiding investigations in the rest of the cosmos.  In this varied book, expert scientists from 15 countries present peer-reviewed, stimulating reviews of paleontological and astrobiological studies.  The overviews of established and emerging techniques for studying modern and ancient microorganisms on Earth and beyond, will be valuable guides to evaluating biosignatures which could be found in the extraterrestrial surface or subsurface within the Solar System and beyond.  This volume also provides discussion on the controversial reports of "nanobacteria" in the Martian meteorite ALH84001.  It is a unique volume among Astrobiology monographs in focusing on fossil evidence from the geological record and will be valuable to students and researchers alike. ... Read more

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"Is there life beyond the earth?...In this book, Stuart Clark presents a masterly survey on the whole problem...In my view it is the best of its kind that I have seen..."-From the Foreword by Sir Patrick Moore

"(Stuart Clark) has the rare ability to explain technically difficult concepts in simple language that can be widely understood."-Journal of the British Astronomical Association

The possibility of life on other worlds has long been the subject of endless speculation - and more and more, of scientific research. Our improving knowledge of the processes that might lead to the creation of life elsewhere is matched by the greater sophistication of our searches for some sign of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. SETI - the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence is undergoing something of a re-birth, and alongside the work of the scientists almost a million PC users round the world are participating in the SERENDIP IV project through the "SETI at Home" initiative from the University of California, Berkeley.

Life on Other Worlds and How to Find It is an up-to-date review of today's scientific thinking about where and how we might find life elsewhere in the universe, presented in Stuart Clarks easily-read yet authoritative style.

Within fifteen years we will know if nearby planets are inhabited.That's the amazing claim that Dr Stuart Clark - Director of Public Astronomy Education at the University of Hertfordshire - makes in his thought-provoking new book.

Many scientists support him, and the next generation of telescopes after the Hubble Space Telescopewill be powerful enough to detectEarth-like worlds orbiting nearby stars. Within fifteen years, we may know...

Life can exist - and quite probably originated - in extreme conditions.

Consider extremophiles.Microbial life can flourish in the near-Martian conditions that exist in the Antarctic, bathed in the deadly UV radiation pouring through the ozone hole, frozen, and incredibly dry.Micro-organisms are known to live at a staggering 114°C, and there is increasing evidence of life in or around hydrothermal vents deep under the Pacific Ocean, where temperatures reach 400°C and only the enormous pressure prevents the water boiling.

Mars and even Venus seem hospitable in comparison.It's clearly time to stop looking for the origins of life in warm puddles.

Stuart Clark considers life, its possible homes in the universe, and the ways in which we might locate both simple life-forms and intelligent aliens.

Stuart Clark is the Director of Public Astronomy Education at the University of Hertfordshire, UK. As well as teaching, he is researching into fields ranging from the formation of stars and planets to the origin of life. Adult education groups and astronomical societies regularly invite Stuart to lecture on a wide range of astronomical subjects. Stuart has also lectured for businesses who want to entertain their clients with something a little different from a day on the golf course. Writing is a particular passion and Stuart has penned seven previous astronomy books. He is currently hard at work on his first science fiction novel. Television audiences around the globe may have seen him during the 1999 total solar eclipse when he provided live comentary for BBC World Service television from Cornwall, UK. ... Read more

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NASA astrobiologist Dr. Christopher McKay has searched the earth's most extreme environments in his quest to understand what factors are necessary to sustain life.Pamela S. Turner offers readers an inside look at Dr. McKay's research, explaining his findings and his hopes for future exploration both on Earth and beyond.Behind-the-scenes photos capture Dr. McKay, his expeditions, and the amazing microbes that survive against all odds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Real science - not science fiction
Dr. Chris McKay works for NASA as an astrobiologist, someone who studies extreme environments on earth in an attempt to answer the long-asked question of whether life can exist elsewhere in our universe.This book follows his journey to some of the most lifeless areas of Earth.He searches for tiny microbes in Antarctica, Chile, Siberia, and the Sahara Desert.The underlying theory is that if life is able to survive in the coldest and driest areas of Earth, maybe there is life beyond our planet.The author does a great job at chronicling Dr. McKay's story and making the readers feel like they are along on the journey.The book is filled with colorful pictures of the places that the research team traveled, along with pictures and artist conceptions of Mars and other planets.I especially enjoyed the pictures that compared the surface of Mars to some areas on Earth.This book really got me thinking about whether is it possible that there is life elsewhere in our universe.There are so many science fiction stories about life on other planets, and it was refreshing to hear the case from a scientific standpoint where you can see that the idea is actually possible.There are no "little green men" in this book, only tiny microbes that could be living in places that we would never expect.This book is great for a science fiction fan who wants to learn more about life in our universe from a scientific and realistic standpoint. ... Read more

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Based on material delivered at several summer schools, this book is the first comprehensive textbook at the graduate level encompassing all aspects associated with the emerging field of astrobiology.

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Micrometeorites played an essential role in the formation of the atmosphere of the Early Earth and also served as a significant source of activation for organic prebiotic chemistry on mineral surfaces. The present book gives a coherent account of this scenario, embedding the more specific results within a broader framework that considers the creation and evolution of the Early Earth. It thus addresses students and nonspecialist researchers in the fields of planetary atmospheres, biogeophysics and astrobiology. The experienced researcher will find this volume to be a modern and compact reference, as well as a source of material for lectures in this field.

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Astrobiology is the multi-disciplinary field devoted to the investigation of the origin; physical, chemical and environmental limitations; and the distribution in space and time of life on Earth and in the Cosmos. Astrobiology seeks an answer to one of the most fundamental of all questions: Is Life Restricted to Planet Earth or is Life a Cosmic Imperative? Understanding the characteristics, properties, habits, and diversity of living organisms on Earth is crucial to determine where and how to search for evidence of life elsewhere. New techniques and methodologies must be developed in order to determine a suitable suite of valid biomarkers that is needed to facilitate the differentiation of abiotic processes from true signatures of life. This is crucial to establish the criteria needed to properly evaluate potential biosignatures in ancient Earth rocks and in a wide variety of Astromaterials. This volume includes papers treating many of these topics. They range! from considerations of relict microbial communities of extreme environments to complex organic molecules. Other papers discuss the use of stable isotopes and their biological fractionation as a baseline for evaluating extraterrestrial evidence and the use of chirality and composition of indigenous amino acids for differentiating between terrestrial and extraterrestrial organic matter in Astromaterials. Also treated in this volume are geomorph parallels, sediment patterns, and cyclicities in permafrost sediments of Earth and Mars; the survival of bacteria in space, eclipsing binaries, and advanced DNA and protein chip technology for future robotic missions to search for life in the Solar System.

IOS Press is an international science, technical and medical publisher of high-quality books for academics, scientists, and professionals in all fields.

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Our neighboring planets may have the answer to this question. Scientists have already identified ice caps on Mars and what appear to be enormous oceans underneath the ice of Jupiter's moons. The atmosphere on Venus appeared harsh and insupportable of life, composed of a toxic atmosphere and oceans of acid -- until scientists concluded that Earth's atmosphere was eerily similar billions of years ago.

Customer Reviews (5)

Empty Rehash at a Middle School Level
I guess you can't tell a book by the cover.I read WHERE IS EVERYBODY (Stephen Webb) at the same time as I read this work.A flying saucer with little green men adorned EVERYBODY whereas a majestic Milky Way galaxy was the selected cover art for this book.The contents, though, was exactly opposite of what one would expect.Where EVERYBODY is erudite, FAINT ECHOES is almost junior high level. EVERYBODY asks, explores and attempts to formulate answers to deep philosphical question / FAINT ECHOES is a light review of well-known knowledge with a dose of politics.

First complaint - the font is huge and there's LOTS of empty space. If the same font as EVERYBODY had been used and the useless, numerous subtitles had been omitted it could have been reduced by half.Second complaint - the science is a stripped down MTV version for those who want quick, glib answers without a lot of serious inquiry.A case in point - the evolution from prokaryotes to eurakyotes is discussed in both books. EVERYBODY offers a vibrant detailed discussion; FAINT ECHOES has a breezy, overview that hurriedly skips to the next subject. EVERYBODY has an extended, in-depth discussion (with multiple illustrations) on the role of amino acids, the building blocks of genes.FAINT ECHOES makes a few references to the subject.It's dreamlike, one of those streams of consciousness where the next thought simply spills out on the page - Mars Rover, Drake Equation, asteroids, evolution, SETI, blah blah.To generate a little interest he throws in such nonsense as ancient astronauts, Roswell, abductions, Velikovsky, Martian "canals", etc

Finally the author admits he is a true believer in intelligent life beyond Earth and issues a call to unite and become brothers and sisters of humanity.Calling all Kumbaya singers for the next rehearsal.My grade:F.

Does life exist anywhere but Earth?
A nice introduction to the nature & requirements for life.

Will we someday find life in our own solar system (outside of earth)? I personally think so. Will we find signs of INTELLIGENT life in the universe?

Food for thought.

A readable but limited introduction to astrobiology
Science writer and science fiction writer extraordinaire, Ben Bova (only people like Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke and Carl Sagan, and maybe one or two others, have done those two things any better) has two primary purposes in writing this book.The first is to bring the general reader up to date on the current status of the search for life beyond earth and the likelihood of its existence. The second is to report (and critique) the state of the political and economic wars pertaining to that search.Along the way Bova updates us on how the solar system was formed, concentrating in turn on each of the planets.He reports on the status of extra-solar planets (over 100 have been discovered as he went to press) and on why it is now believed that life may (in the form of "extremophiles") exist in places previously thought to be completely inhospitable such as deep underground, at the bottom of deep oceans, such as under the ice of Jupiter's moon, Europa, or even in interstellar clouds.

The main strength of the book is Bova's always readable prose; the main weakness is a kind of "introductory" treatment that may be too limited or simplistic for more sophisticated readers.For myself--a reader somewhere between the extremes of novice and expert--I found the book reasonably informative and certainly in no sense dumbed-down.Of course I did not need to be told (as Bova does in a gray sidebar on page 80) that "a meteorite is what is left of" a meteor "if it survives to the ground."Nor did I need to be reminded that "Einstein's special theory of relativity showed that matter can be converted to energy" as Bova does in a footnote on page 67.Or even that living organisms seem to (but do not) violate the law of entropy. There are many other examples of this concession to the beginning reader, but not so many that I was annoyed or felt my time was being wasted.The editors are to be commended for putting most of the elementary material in gray boxes, footnotes, or in some of the eleven appendices.

The book is organized into five sections beginning with what Bova calls "The Path to Astrobiology," and ending with "Tomorrow," in which he laments the lack of consistent funding for space exploration and argues that, if humans are to survive any of the catastrophes likely to strike earth (including the near certainty of the sun's expansion, explosion, and collapse in the very, very distant future) we must learn to live in places other than earth.

For the real afficionado of astrobiology, this book will indeed be much too basic.For the fairly well-informed reader wanting to know just where we are in the search for life beyond earth, there are several better books.Two that I can recommend are, Stephen Webb' outstanding Where Is Everybody?: Fifty Solutions to the Fermi Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life (2002), the excellent The Life and Death of Planet Earth: How the Science of Astrobiology Charts the Ultimate Fate of Our World (2002) by Peter D. Ward and Donald Brownlee, and the delightful Lonely Planets: The Natural Philosophy of Alien Life (2003) by David Grinspoon.Bova includes a discussion of the famous Drake equation and his take on the probabilities implied therein, but if you want the real in-depth treatment read Stephen Webb's book

As far as the politics at NASA and in the Congress of the United States goes, I cannot recommend a better book, but can tell you that Bova's treatment here has taught me little that I didn't know.That the late Senator William Proxmire stupidly bestowed upon SETI one of his infamous "Golden Fleece" awards is old news, as is the fact that Nevada Senator Richard Bryan ridiculed the search for extraterrestrial life back in 1992 and helped to persuade Congress to cut SETI projects from NASA's budget.However Bova does report the efforts of private citizens (notably Microsoft's Paul Allen) to fund SETI projects as well as the efforts of some people at NASA and in Congress to emphasize the possibility of finding at least microbial life under the surface of Mars or elsewhere in the solar system as a means of exciting the public's fancy. If the public's fancy can be sufficiently excited, that will surely persuade our representatives to vote funds to support such projects.

Certainly Bova has a clear understanding of what goes on in Congress.He writes, "Politicians make their decisions for political reasons, not scientific.The first question a politician asks when faced with a decision is, How will this affect my chances for reelection?" (p. 273)

Nothing is going to change that.That is the way a representative democracy works.What needs to be done is to educate the public (and Congress itself!) on (1) the real value of the search for life beyond earth and (2) the real value of being able to colonize, e.g., the moon and Mars.In the first case we have that most beautiful quote from Lee DuBridge (or was it Pogo?) that sets the tone for Bova's book: "Either we are alone in the universe or we are not; either way it's mind-boggling." (p. ix)In the second case we have the specter of any number of earth-confined catastrophes that colonists on the moon or Mars might avoid, such as an unstoppable disease, nuclear warfare, or a huge meteor striking the earth.

Good, but where's the Politics?
I enjoyed this light work of nonfiction, but was disappointed. Bova's insights science-wise are very good, there is very little to do with politics in the the book besides Congess cancelled these missions, this happened when he becamre head of NASA, and so on.

Interesting ideas
Noted author, Dr. Ben Bova evaluates the age old question of whether humanity is alone in this vast universe.Whether he looks back to Copernicus and earlier or to the SETI project, Dr. Bova provides insight into the past and present scientific wars, the religious dogma, and the political benefit/cost analysis skirmishes.The author uses planet earth to make a case that life probably exists on other orbs in the universe and even in our solar system.He argues that life on earth survives hostile planetary environs that for centuries was assumed nothing could live there and bacteria brought to the moon thrives in conditions that would kill humans.Perhaps the Martian icecaps or the Jovian moons will prove to have living organisms.

FAINT ECHOES, DISTANT STARS: THE SCIENCE AND POLITICS OF FINDING LIFE BEYOND EARTH is at its best when Dr. Bova makes the inductive case that we are not alone.The nonfiction is also quite fun to read when it looks into the past to show those times that science clashed with politics/religion.When the book goes deep into the current skirmish over funding something somewhat esoteric and not easy to see the benefits, it is fascinating but loses some of the propulsion that the history and the science provides.Still this is another strong effort by Dr. Bova, who makes no pretense on which side of the debate he supports.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An Uncommon Interdiciplinary Collection
The book is a useful collection of paper (some long, some short) on the definition and physics behind the "habitable zones" around stars. While perhaps not technical enough for all applications, it's nice tofinally see many of these issues discussed in one volume, instead of spreadthroughout many different journals and texts. The climate of such planetsis covered of course, but the addition of topics such as how stellarevolution influences the habitable zone (how long is the habitable zonehabitable, for instance), the implications of high planetary obliquity, andatmospheric collapse of tidally locked planets round out the presentation.While somewhat lacking in math for such a text, perhaps the biggestnegative I can see is that some of the material is not as up-to-date as Iwould like, but in a field like this that would be hard to do even if itwas annually updated. ... Read more

Product Description
Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. This book offers an analysis undertaken from the perspective of science education, to discuss the nature of the particular challenges faced by those seeking to facilitate public education in the field of astrobiology. The authors also address the question of the formation of a protocell and its function at the system level. It will further deal with the environmental pressures likely present on the early Earth, as they would have influenced the lifetime of unstable or reactive components needed for the start of life. In addition, the method of the transition from prebiotic organic microsystems to the primordial communities of prokaryotes is explored. The authors also explain some aspects related to aqueous interfacial processes in the context of prebiotic chemistry under the point of view of our current experimental results. Moreover, there is considerable interest in astrobiology in investigating icy worlds and the microbial forms that thrive in extreme environments, especially under those cold conditions that can provide a model for some extraterrestrial environments.This book reviews the general trends concerning the biodiversity and ecology of psychrophilic microorganisms and their molecular mechanisms of adaptation and evolution, as well as summarise the latest results on this topic in samples from icy environments. Other chapters summarise the morphological signatures of flowing water, the astrobiological potential of the dunes, and the theoretical modelling background of the presence of liquid water on Mars today. ... Read more

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The Second Lunar Analysis Laboratory Workshop was held inconjunction with the International Conference on Space Exploration andthe Future of Humans in Space, in Dijon, which immediately precededthis Workshop. Major areas included:

Lunar Resource Utilization
Life Sciences
Astronomy
Exobiology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
Instrumentation and Automation
Advanced concepts and Technology
Earth System Science ... Read more

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By what criteria should we judge whether we are alone in the cosmos, and how should we set about detecting extraterrestrials? Jean Heidmann answers these questions in this engaging discussion of extraterrestrial intelligence. Using clear explanations, including new and updated information, he covers the entire subject of extraterrestrial intelligence including the SETI project and what might happen if actual contact takes place.Amazon.com Review
Science fiction writers have given us many fine novelscontemplating humankind's first contact with intelligentextraterrestrials. But our nonfiction world has not thought much aboutwhat to do if we are actually faced with this situation. JeanHeidmann, Chief Astronomer at the Paris Observatory (and self-styledbioastronomer), offers a book on the subject that is at once seriousand fun. Heidmann's obvious joy in raw speculation--all of it groundedin real science--is contagious. If aliens send us a message from manylight years away, for example, how should we respond? Heidmann reviewsthe protocols established in the SETI Declaration and then offers hisown suggestion: send them the entire contents of the EncyclopediaBritannica ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Is there anybody out there? Maybe says Heidmann...
Astrobotany, Bioastronomy, Cosmobiology Exobiology, Astrobiology,...

This relative young field of science seemes to change its name every few years to cause some excitement. But for those who arefamiliar with the subjects it deals with, it's clear that this is notnecessary. Exobiology (well, choose one of the other names if you don'tlike this one) is a wide-range-field: It tries to explain the origins oflife on Earth as well as the processes necessary for life to arrise in theuniverse. From the Big Bang to the development of rational beings. And itexplores the problem of life on other planets. Jean Heidmann, a dedicatedBioastronomer, gives a detailed overview about the subject. Speculative,but with grounded scientific arguments. And he provides insights intocurrent projects that are dedicated to the search for life in the universe,ranging from extraterrestrial planetfinder devices to probes that visitedMars. I recomend this Book to everyone who wants to inform him/herselfabout the possibility of primitive/advanced life in the universe. Itrepresents a good introduction for those who set a foot on new terrain, andprovides new information for those who are familiar with the subject. Everypage of the book contains tons of information on the topic and I had toread it several times to remember all the stuff Heidmann presents. Highlyreadable! ... Read more