Life in the Universe, 5th Edition

Author: Jeffrey Bennett
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691241791
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 545

Book Description
The world’s leading textbook on astrobiology—ideal for an introductory one-semester course and now fully revised and updated Are we alone in the cosmos? How are scientists seeking signs of life beyond our home planet? Could we colonize other planets, moons, or even other star systems? This introductory textbook, written by a team of four renowned science communicators, educators, and researchers, tells the amazing story of how modern science is seeking the answers to these and other fascinating questions. They are the questions that are at the heart of the highly interdisciplinary field of astrobiology, the study of life in the universe. Written in an accessible, conversational style for anyone intrigued by the possibilities of life in the solar system and beyond, Life in the Universe is an ideal place to start learning about the latest discoveries and unsolved mysteries in the field. From the most recent missions to Saturn’s moons and our neighboring planet Mars to revolutionary discoveries of thousands of exoplanets, from the puzzle of life’s beginning on Earth to the latest efforts in the search for intelligent life elsewhere, this book captures the imagination and enriches the reader’s understanding of how astronomers, planetary scientists, biologists, and other scientists make progress at the cutting edge of this dynamic field. Enriched with a wealth of engaging features, this textbook brings any citizen of the cosmos up to speed with the scientific quest to discover whether we are alone or part of a universe full of life. An acclaimed text designed to inspire students of all backgrounds to explore foundational questions about life in the cosmos Completely revised and updated to include the latest developments in the field, including recent exploratory space missions to Mars, frontier exoplanet science, research on the origin of life on Earth, and more Enriched with helpful learning aids, including in-chapter Think about It questions, optional Do the Math and Special Topic boxes, Movie Madness boxes, end-of-chapter exercises and problems, quick quizzes, and much more Supported by instructor’s resources, including an illustration package and test bank, available upon request

Probable Impossibilities

Author: Alan Lightman
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 0593081323
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 209

Book Description
The acclaimed author of Einstein’s Dreams tackles "big questions like the origin of the universe and the nature of consciousness ... in an entertaining and easily digestible way” (Wall Street Journal) with a collection of meditative essays on the possibilities—and impossibilities—of nothingness and infinity, and how our place in the cosmos falls somewhere in between. Can space be divided into smaller and smaller units, ad infinitum? Does space extend to larger and larger regions, on and on to infinity? Is consciousness reducible to the material brain and its neurons? What was the origin of life, and can biologists create life from scratch in the lab? Physicist and novelist Alan Lightman, whom The Washington Post has called “the poet laureate of science writers,” explores these questions and more—from the anatomy of a smile to the capriciousness of memory to the specialness of life in the universe to what came before the Big Bang. Probable Impossibilities is a deeply engaged consideration of what we know of the universe, of life and the mind, and of things vastly larger and smaller than ourselves.

Life in the Universe

Author: Jeffrey O. Bennett
Publisher: Addison Wesley Publishing Company
ISBN: 9780321687678
Category : Cosmology
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
Life in the Universe takes non-science majors on a journey through the solar system and beyond, using a rigorous yet accessible introduction to astronomy, biology, and geology to explain natural phenomena and to explore profound scientific questions about astrobiology. The Third Edition has been thoroughly revised to include updated scientific discoveries, new Cosmic Context two-page spreads, and an updated Companion Website. Designed for astrobiology courses but also suitable for introductory astronomy courses, Life in the Universe captures your imagination by exploring fundamental pan-scientific questions: What is life? How did life begin on Earth? What are the most extreme forms of life currently known? Is it reasonable to imagine life beyond Earth? The text motivates you to develop basic reasoning skills and an understanding of the process of science through skillful writing and a wealth of pedagogical features, such as Learning Goals that keep you focused on key concepts. Sidebars provide optional mathematical material for courses that fulfill quantitative requirements.

Life in the Cosmos

Author: Manasvi Lingam
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674987578
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 1089

Book Description
A rigorous and scientific analysis of the myriad possibilities of life beyond our planet. ÒAre we alone in the universe?Ó This tantalizing question has captivated humanity over millennia, but seldom has it been approached rigorously. Today the search for signatures of extraterrestrial life and intelligence has become a rapidly advancing scientific endeavor. Missions to Mars, Europa, and Titan seek evidence of life. Laboratory experiments have made great strides in creating synthetic life, deepening our understanding of conditions that give rise to living entities. And on the horizon are sophisticated telescopes to detect and characterize exoplanets most likely to harbor life. Life in the Cosmos offers a thorough overview of the burgeoning field of astrobiology, including the salient methods and paradigms involved in the search for extraterrestrial life and intelligence. Manasvi Lingam and Abraham Loeb tackle three areas of interest in hunting for life Òout thereÓ: first, the pathways by which life originates and evolves; second, planetary and stellar factors that affect the habitability of worlds, with an eye on the biomarkers that may reveal the presence of microbial life; and finally, the detection of technological signals that could be indicative of intelligence. Drawing on empirical data from observations and experiments, as well as the latest theoretical and computational developments, the authors make a compelling scientific case for the search for life beyond what we can currently see. Meticulous and comprehensive, Life in the Cosmos is a master class from top researchers in astrobiology, suggesting that the answer to our age-old question is closer than ever before.

Encountering Life in the Universe

Author: Chris Impey
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
ISBN: 0816528705
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 284

Book Description
Encountering Life in the Universe examines the intersection of scientific research and society to determine the philosophy and ethics of relating to the Earth and beyond.

Intelligent Life in the Universe

Author: I. S. Shklovskiĭ
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781892803023
Category : Astronomy
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description

Life in the Universe

Author: Marshall Vian Summers
Publisher: New Knowledge Library
ISBN: 1884238408
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 220

Book Description
The Reality and Spirituality of Life in the Universe Life in the Universe is part of a vast education and preparation for humanity called the "New Message." Over 9000 pages in length, the New Message is a Divine answer to the panoply of global problems facing humanity: destruction of our natural environment, depletion of Earth's energy and life-sustaining resources, escalating religious and political conflict and intervention by certain races in our region of space. This book, Life in the Universe, details the interactions of civilizations in our region of space, the challenge of facing a non-human universe and the spiritual dimensions of all intelligent life that has evolved since the beginning of time.

Life Beyond Earth

Author: Athena Coustenis
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107026172
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 331

Book Description
An engaging account of our quest for habitable environments, recounting fascinating recent discoveries and providing insight into future space missions.

Intelligent Life in the Universe

Author: Peter Ulmschneider
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3540328386
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 314

Book Description
This book examines the origins, development and fate of intelligent species in the observable part of our universe. It scrutinizes what kind of information about extraterrestrial intelligent life can be inferred from our own biological, cultural and scientific evolution and the likely future of mankind. There is emphasis on the geological conditions and consequences of life's conquest of land as the pre-condition for the emergence of life with our type of technical intelligence.

Life in the Universe

Author: Lewis Dartnell
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1780741634
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 229

Book Description
Astrobiology, the study of life and its existence in the universe, is one of the hottest areas of scientific research. Lewis Dartnell considers some of the fascinating questions facing researchers today. Could life exist anywhere else in the universe? What might aliens really look like? Dartnell explains why Earth is uniquely suited for life and reveals our profound connection to the cosmos.