Aliens: The World's Leading Scientists on the Search for Extraterrestrial Life

by Jim Al-Khalili, Jim Al-Khalili (Introduction), Jim Al-Khalili (Editor)

Overview

In these lively and fascinating essays edited by theoretical physicist Jim Al-Khalili, scientists from around the world weigh in on the latest advances in the search for intelligent life in the universe and discuss just what that might look like.

Since 2000, science has seen a surge in data and interest on several fronts related to E.T. (extraterrestrials); A.I. (artificial intelligence); and SETI (search for extraterrestrial intelligence). The debate has intensified over whether life exists outside our solar system, what that life would look like, and whether we’ll ever make contact.

Included here are essays from a broad spectrum of the scientific community: cosmologists, astrophysicists, NASA planetary scientists, and geneticists, to name just a few, discussing the latest research and theories relating to alien life. Some of the topics include: If life exists somewhere in space, what are the odds that it evolves into something we would recognize as intelligent? What will space travel look like in the future, and will it all be done by cyborg technology? How long until we are ruled by robot overlords? (This is actually a serious consideration.) Are we simply a simulation in the mind of some supreme being, acting out a virtual reality game?

For those who have ever wondered, Is there anybody out there? here are the latest theories and evidence that move us closer to answering that question.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250109637
Publisher:	Picador
Publication date:	05/09/2017
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	668,041
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

JIM AL-KHALILI is a quantum physicist, author, and broadcaster based at the University of Surrey in England. He received his Ph.D. in theoretical nuclear physics in 1989 and has published more than a hundred research papers on the subject. He is a well-known presenter of TV and radio in Britain, and his many popular science books have been translated into twenty-six languages. He is a recipient of the Royal Society of London’s Michael Faraday Prize and the Institute of Physics Kelvin Medal. In 2016 he received the inaugural Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication. He lives in Southsea in Hampshire with his wife, Julie.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Introduction: Where Is Everybody? by Jim Al-Khalili — 1

1 Aliens and Us: Could Post-humans Spread through the Galaxy? by Martin Rees — 11

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
2 (Un)welcome Visitors: Why Aliens Might Visit Us by Lewis Dartnell — 25
3 Flying Saucers: A Brief History of Sightings and Conspiracies by Dallas Campbell — 35
4 Aliens on Earth: What Octopus Minds Can Tell Us about Alien Consciousness by Anil Seth — 47
5 Abducted: The Psychology of Close Encounters with Extraterrestrials by Chris French — 58

WHERE TO LOOK FOR LIFE ELSEWHERE
6 Home Sweet Home: What Makes a Planet Habitable? by Chris McKay —73
7 The Next-Door Neighbours: The Search for Life on Mars by Monica Grady — 83
8 Further Out: Could the Moons of the Gas Giants Harbour Life? by Louisa Preston — 93
9 Monsters, Victims, Friends: Aliens in Science Fiction Writing by Ian Stewart — 103

LIFE AS WE KNOW IT
10 Randomness Versus Complexity: The Chemistry of Life by Andrea Sella — 117
11 Electric Origins in Deep-Sea Vents: How Life got Started on Earth by Nick Lane — 127
12 Quantum Leap: Could Quantum Mechanics Hold the Secret of (Alien) Life? by Johnjoe McFadden —137
13 A Cosmic Imperative: How Easy Is It for Life to Get Started? by Paul C. W. Davies — 147
14 Alone in the Universe: The Improbability of Alien Civilisations by Matthew Cobb — 156

ALIEN HUNTING
15 It Came from Beyond the Silver Screen! Aliens in the Movies by Adam Rutherford — 169
16 What Are We Looking For? An Overview of the Search for Extraterrestrials by Nathalie Cabrol — 178
17 Are They Out There? Technology, the Drake Equation, and Looking for Life on Other Worlds by Sara Seager — 188
18 Good Atmosphere: Identifying the Signs of Life on Distant Worlds by Giovanna Tinetti — 197
19 What Next? The Future of the SEarch for Extraterrestrial Intelligence by Seth Shostak — 208

Further Reading — 221
Contributors — 226

Editorial Reviews

…[a] modest, eccentric collection…the best of these essays are far out in more ways than one.

The New York Times - Jennifer Senior

03/27/2017
British theoretical physicist Al-Khalili collects a wide array of easily digestible, information-packed essays from researchers writing on various aspects of the search for extraterrestrial life. Collectively, they approach the topic from all conceivable angles. For example, Monica Grady surveys “The Search for Life on Mars,” Ian Stewart covers “Aliens in Science Fiction Writing,” Dallas Campbell and Chris French discuss sightings and encounters, and Nick Lane investigates “How Life Got Started on Earth.” The information, which may be unfamiliar to many, is presented clearly and matter-of-factly. The authors pose both physical and philosophical questions, often answering them differently or from different perspectives across essays grouped loosely by theme. All this information certainly sparks the imagination, but this collection is unquestionably scientific, and much of its mind-bending effect is due to corrections of common misconceptions. The resulting picture of the complexities of current thought on extraterrestrial life illuminates just how much we still have to discover and just how comfortable we are considering our own natures and the possibility of encountering life that we may not understand. Al-Khalili’s collection is efficient and factual but never dry; it’s an excellent primer on various concepts and aspects of potential alien life, and the consequences of such an earth-shattering discovery. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"Superb....An incisive and fun collection packed with mind-expanding ideas about our universe and ourselves."—Kirkus Reviews

“A brilliantly sharp collection.”—The Observer (London)

“Jim Al-Khalili has gathered a useful cross-section of the brightest minds in space science. . . . [Aliens] goes far beyond the what and the where and the when of extraterrestrial-hunting to the biggest conundrum of all: why bother? . . . This book is always lucid and sometimes unexpectedly beautiful.” —The Times (London)

“Ideal for keen alien-fanciers.” —The Daily Mail (London)

"Fascinating...There’s a little something here for anyone interested in the possibility of extra-terrestrial life, or at least how we imagine it to be.”—Spectrum Culture

"A wide array of easily digestible, information-packed essays from researchers writing on various aspects of the search for extraterrestrial life....An excellent primer on various concepts and aspects of potential alien life, and the consequences of such an earth-shattering discovery."—Publishers Weekly

“Thought-provoking… Must-reading for star-watchers, visionary anthropologists, and everyone wondering if and when the ETs will finally pay us a visit.”—Booklist

“Much like Louisa Preston’s Goldilocks and the Water Bears, this book succeeds in looking much deeper than the typical earthbound definition of life….[Aliens] may even be appreciated by curious sf fans and casual readers.”—Library Journal

From the Publisher

2017-03-07
In a series of 20 essays detailing cutting-edge scientific data and theories, renowned researchers expound on the possibility—or probability?—of extraterrestrial intelligence.In February 2017, NASA announced the discovery of seven Earth-sized exoplanets orbiting a single star, three of which are located in the habitable or so-called "Goldilocks Zone," meaning their atmospheres are more likely to host life. Located a mere 40 light-years from Earth, these planets especially excited scientists because they are near enough to study using high-tech space telescopes. This means that humanity may have an opportunity to confirm or deny our sole existence in the universe—a proposition that, based on the number of planets and stars in our galaxy alone, seems unlikely. Yet no experiment has produced even a shred of evidence of any other life form (that we can detect). In this superb collection of essays, editor al-Khalili (Theoretical Physics/Univ. of Surrey; Paradox: The Nine Greatest Enigmas in Physics, 2012, etc.) assembles some of the most brilliant minds in astrophysics, cosmology, genetics, biochemistry, and other fields to provide lay readers with a comprehensive look at the search for life on other planets. From new technologies in spectroscopy to the much-anticipated James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled to launch in 2018, there are many ways in which researchers have their eyes to the deep skies. Equally fascinating are the different perspectives regarding how such life could arise: are carbon and liquid water integral? How might plate tectonics play a role? Could quantum mechanics explain how life emerged on Earth, and could it do so elsewhere? Each essay offers a unique take on these and myriad other probing questions, and as al-Khalili writes in his introduction, "thinking about extraterrestrials has led us to ask, and even begin to answer, some of the most profound questions about our own existence." The contributors include Martin Rees, Ian Stewart, and Monica Grady. An incisive and fun collection packed with mind-expanding ideas about our universe and ourselves.

Kirkus Reviews

In this eclectic collection of essays, some of today’s leading scientists address the ongoing search for extraterrestrial life. Five talented narrators deliver lively audio interpretations of these essays, striking an effective balance between science and entertainment. Each narrator brings a unique voice and can be at once professorial, conversational, and even a little conspiratorial, as if he or she has fascinating secrets to share just with the listener. With so many topics and scientific fields represented—from the origins of life to a history of aliens in film—listener interest is bound to vary. But these narrators emulate great science teachers by keeping the material accessible and engaging regardless of the specific topic. A.T.N. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

MAY 2017 - AudioFile

In this eclectic collection of essays, some of today’s leading scientists address the ongoing search for extraterrestrial life. Five talented narrators deliver lively audio interpretations of these essays, striking an effective balance between science and entertainment. Each narrator brings a unique voice and can be at once professorial, conversational, and even a little conspiratorial, as if he or she has fascinating secrets to share just with the listener. With so many topics and scientific fields represented—from the origins of life to a history of aliens in film—listener interest is bound to vary. But these narrators emulate great science teachers by keeping the material accessible and engaging regardless of the specific topic. A.T.N. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

MAY 2017 - AudioFile