Dr Space Junk vs The Universe

Author: Alice Gorman
Publisher: NewSouth
ISBN: 1742244491
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 277

Book Description
Going boldly forth as a pioneer in the fledgling field of space archaeology, Dr Alice Gorman (aka Dr Space Junk) turns the common perception of archaeology as an exploration of the ancient on its head. Her captivating inquiry into the most modern and daring of technologies spanning some 60 years — a mere speck in cosmic terms — takes the reader on a journey which captures the relics of space forays and uncovers the cultural value of detritus all too readily dismissed as junk. In this book, she takes a physical journey through the solar system and beyond, and a conceptual journey into human interactions with space. Her tools are artefacts, historical explorations, the occasional cocktail recipe, and the archaeologist’s eye applied not only to the past, but the present and future as well. Erudite and playful, Dr Space Junk reveals that space is not as empty as we might think. And that by looking up and studying space artefacts, we learn an awful lot about our own culture on earth. She makes us realise that objects from the past — the material culture produced by the Space Age and beyond — are so significant to us now because they remind us of what we might want to hold onto into the future. ‘As charming as it is expert, as gripping as it is surprising, Dr Space Junk vs The Universe deftly threads together the cosmic and the personal, the stupendousness of space with the lived experience of human beings down here.’ — Adam Roberts, author of Gradisil

Dr Space Junk vs The Universe

Author: Alice Gorman
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262043432
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 306

Book Description
A pioneering space archaeologist explores artifacts left behind in space and on Earth, from moon dust to Elon Musk's red sports car. Alice Gorman is a space archaeologist: she examines the artifacts of human encounters with space. These objects, left behind on Earth and in space, can be massive (dead satellites in eternal orbit) or tiny (discarded zip ties around a defunct space antenna). They can be bold (an American flag on the moon) or hopeful (messages from Earth sent into deep space). They raise interesting questions: Why did Elon Musk feel compelled to send a red Tesla into space? What accounts for the multiple rocket-themed playgrounds constructed after the Russians launched Sputnik? Gorman—affectionately known as “Dr Space Junk” —takes readers on a journey through the solar system and beyond, deploying space artifacts, historical explorations, and even the occasional cocktail recipe in search of the ways that we make space meaningful. Engaging and erudite, Gorman recounts her background as a (nonspace) archaeologist and how she became interested in space artifacts. She shows us her own piece of space junk: a fragment of the fuel tank insulation from Skylab, the NASA spacecraft that crash-landed in Western Australia in 1979. She explains that the conventional view of the space race as “the triumph of the white, male American astronaut” seems inadequate; what really interests her, she says, is how everyday people engage with space. To an archaeologist, objects from the past are significant because they remind us of what we might want to hold on to in the future.

Dr Space Junk vs The Universe

Author: Alice Gorman
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262539659
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 306

Extraterrestrial Languages

Author: Daniel Oberhaus
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 026254864X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 265

Book Description
If we send a message into space, will extraterrestrial beings receive it? Will they understand? The endlessly fascinating question of whether we are alone in the universe has always been accompanied by another, more complicated one: if there is extraterrestrial life, how would we communicate with it? In this book, Daniel Oberhaus leads readers on a quest for extraterrestrial communication. Exploring Earthlings' various attempts to reach out to non-Earthlings over the centuries, he poses some not entirely answerable questions: If we send a message into space, will extraterrestrial beings receive it? Will they understand? What languages will they (and we) speak? Is there not only a universal grammar (as Noam Chomsky has posited), but also a grammar of the universe? Oberhaus describes, among other things, a late-nineteenth-century idea to communicate with Martians via Morse code and mirrors; the emergence in the twentieth century of SETI (the search for extraterrestrial intelligence), CETI (communication with extraterrestrial intelligence), and finally METI (messaging extraterrestrial intelligence); the one-way space voyage of Ella, an artificial intelligence agent that can play cards, tell fortunes, and recite poetry; and the launching of a theremin concert for aliens. He considers media used in attempts at extraterrestrial communication, from microwave systems to plaques on spacecrafts to formal logic, and discusses attempts to formulate a language for our message, including the Astraglossa and two generations of Lincos (lingua cosmica). The chosen medium for interstellar communication reveals much about the technological sophistication of the civilization that sends it, Oberhaus observes, but even more interesting is the information embedded in the message itself. In Extraterrestrial Languages, he considers how philosophy, linguistics, mathematics, science, and art have informed the design or limited the effectiveness of our interstellar messaging.

Karl, the Universe and Everything

Author: Dr Karl Kruszelnicki
Publisher: Macmillan Publishers Aus.
ISBN: 1760557579
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 322

Book Description
Grab your towel and hitchhike across the galaxy with Australia's most popular scientist Dr Karl Kruszelnicki. Learn about Dr Karl, the universe and everything, and discover how air-conditioning is sexist, how you can kill a spinning hard drive by shouting at it and how space junk is threatening our future capabilities for space travel. Could there be life on one of Saturn's moons? How much power could you collect from all the lightning on Earth? Why do books have book-smell? Why is 10 per cent of the Earth's land area prone to sinkholes? Why are some people chronically late? What would happen if the Earth stopped spinning? Why do most people hardly remember anything from the first half-a-dozen years of their life? How close are we to the Artificial Uterus? Why do some songs turn into "earworms" and stick inside your brain? Why does your hotel room access card get wiped so easily? And is your home WiFi really spying on you?

Professor Astro Cat's Frontiers of Space

Author: Dominic Walliman
Publisher: National Geographic Books
ISBN: 183874987X
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
Blast off with this new edition in the first book in the best selling Professor Astro Cat series! Featuring updated details about how rockets work, recent missions to Mars, space junk, and black holes. “Conducted by a cat in a retro-futuristic space suit, this tour of the solar system and beyond earns style points for both its illustrations and its selection of “Factoroids.” -Kirkus Reviews "Cute characters (such as the titular Professor Astro Cat and his assistant Astro Mouse) give a humorous, conversational tone to this nonfiction book's information about space, our solar system, and changing space exploration technology. Like the text, the book's browsable layout encourages readers to keep exploring. Overall, a great book to nurture interest in and wonder at the infinite possibilities of space." -The Horn Book "Both modern in its scientific spirit and with a sensibility modeled after the delightful mid-century children’s books from the Golden Age of space exploration, it tickles young readers - as well as their space-enchanted parents - into precisely that “palpable zest to make contact with the cosmos.” -Brain Pickings Professor Astro Cat is the smartest cat in the alley. He's got a degree in just about every discipline under the sun! Speaking of the sun, he happens to be specialist on that too, and Professor Astro Cat's Frontiers of Space will tell you everything that there could be to know about our star, our planet, our solar system, our galaxy, our universe, and many more new insights into the ever-developing science of space and the outer reaches of the universe! The professor's made sure of that; he's a fastidious little feline! Professor Astro Cat's Frontiers of Space also explores topics such as gravity, extraterrestrial life, time, and many other fascinating subjects that will take you and your children on a journey to the very frontiers of space!

The Overview Effect

Author: Frank White
Publisher: AIAA
ISBN: 9781563472602
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 340

Book Description
Using interviews with and writings by astronauts and cosmonauts, discusses how viewing the Earth from space and from the moon affect space explorers' perceptions of the world and humanity, and how those changes are likewise felt in contemporary society. The author views space exploration and eventual colonization as an inevitable step in the evolution of human society and consciousness, one which offers new perspectives on the problems facing us down here on Earth. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

The Book of the Moon

Author: Maggie Aderin-Pocock
Publisher: Abrams
ISBN: 1683356020
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 238

Book Description
The BBC’s “face of space” explores all things lunar in this comprehensive guide to the folklore, facts, and possible futures of our only natural satellite. Have you ever wondered if there are seasons on the moon or if space tourism will ever become widely accessible? So has Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock, astronomer and host of the BBC’s docuseries, The Sky at Night. In this lucidly written guide, Aderin-Pocock takes readers on a fascinating lunar journey. Aderin-Pocock begins with a basic overview—unpacking everything from the moon’s topography and composition to its formation and orbit around the Earth. She examines beliefs held by ancient civilizations, the technology that allowed for the first moon landing, a brief history of moongazing, and how the moon has influenced culture throughout the years. Looking to the future, she delves into the pros and cons of continued space travel and exploration. Throughout the book are sidebars, graphs, and charts to enhance the facts as well as black-and-white illustrations of the moon and stars.

How We Got to the Moon

Author: John Rocco
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0525647414
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 265

Book Description
LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD • YALSA EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTION FINALIST • A ROBERT F. SIBERT HONOR BOOK This beautifully illustrated, oversized guide to the people and technology of the moon landing by award-winning author/illustrator John Rocco (illustrator of the Percy Jackson series) is a must-have for space fans, classrooms, and tech geeks. Everyone knows of Neil Armstrong's famous first steps on the moon. But what did it really take to get us there? The Moon landing is one of the most ambitious, thrilling, and dangerous ventures in human history. This exquisitely researched and illustrated book tells the stories of the 400,000 unsung heroes--the engineers, mathematicians, seamstresses, welders, and factory workers--and their innovations and life-changing technological leaps forward that allowed NASA to achieve this unparalleled accomplishment. From the shocking launch of the Russian satellite Sputnik to the triumphant splashdown of Apollo 11, Caldecott Honor winner John Rocco answers every possible question about this world-altering mission. Each challenging step in the space race is revealed, examined, and displayed through stunning diagrams, experiments, moments of crisis, and unforgettable human stories. Explorers of all ages will want to pore over every page in this comprehensive chronicle detailing the grandest human adventure of all time!

Cosmos: The Infographic Book of Space

Author: Stuart Lowe
Publisher: Aurum Press
ISBN: 9781781316450
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
Life. The Universe. Everything. The human race has always revealed an insatiable hunger to search "to infinity and beyond". In this truly mind-blowing book, partners in science Stuart Lowe and Chris North use cutting edge infographics to illuminate - in a new and unique way - the most amazing places and objects that modern science has laid bare. Featuring innovative, inspirational and original designs by leading authors in their field, COSMOS: THE INFOGRAPHIC BOOK OF SPACE delves into a truly international subject and will appeal to stargazers and space enthusiasts of all ages. Including the Big Bang itself, COSMOS: THE INFOGRAPHIC BOOK OF SPACE: Explores the secret lives of galaxies and stars Examines the thousand new planets now discovered beyond the Solar System, checking out their viability for alien life Chronicles the incredible instruments and machines that are discovering the hidden secrets of the Universe, from 'telescopes' atop the highest mountains to robotic explorers on distant worlds... Investigates the astounding technology used by human and robotic explorers as they push out beyond the Moon to Mars - and on towards the stars...