E-raamat: Pale Blue Data Point: An Earth-Based Perspective on the Search for Alien Life

"[ Willis's] book brilliantly explains the technical details of astronomy and robotic space explorationincluding missions to retrieve samples of asteroids, and the discovery of vast subsurface oceans in the frozen moons of Jupiter and Saturnbut he also wants to show what his science looks like in the field, and so he takes the reader with him to marvel at large observatory telescopes in the Andes, to Morocco to scour the desert for meteorites, and on board a ship that uses submersibles to probe hot volcanic vents in the deep ocean floor. . . . Here is Williss fundamental argument: The more we learn about Earthour one pale blue data point for a planet on which life has definitively arisenthe more qualified we will be to recognize signs of life elsewhere. . . . [ A] joyful account. -- Steven Poole * The Wall Street Journal * "Five stars. . . . The most fascinating and eye-opening book about extraterrestrial life that Ive read for a long time." -- Andrew May * PopularScience.co.uk * "Williss title is a play on Carl Sagans poignant description of how Earth appeared in a photograph taken by Voyager 1 as it was heading toward the edge of the solar system some thirty-five years ago. Sagan referred to our world as a 'pale blue dot' that covers mere pixels on that spacecraft photo. To us, of course, our planet is much more than a dot, and, as Willis emphasizes, it may tell us a great deal about possible realms, and possible life forms, in the far beyond. To that end, Willis takes us on a tour of some of Earths most seemingly inhospitable environments." -- Dan Falk * Literary Review of Canada * In 1990, before it left the Solar System, Voyager 1 took an image of Earth famously described by astronomer Carl Sagan as a pale blue dot. Astronomer Willis refers to Earth as a pale blue data point instead, and takes the reader from deep in the Pacific Ocean to observatories in Chile that examine exoplanets. He writes about how at certain places, whether they be wind-blown deserts, the oceans depths, advanced laboratories, or mountaintop observatories, Earth also offers clues as to the prospects for life beyond it. -- Andrew Robinson * Nature * "Absolutely riveting. . . . If you have an interest in astrobiology, astronomy, biology, Earth science, or simply enjoy reading a book that will cause you to say 'Wow!' with great regularity whilst reading it, I very much encourage you to read The Pale Blue Data Point for yourself. After having done so, I very much doubt that youll ever look up into the night sky ever again and not find your mind filled with new questions, curiosities, and dreams of what may one day be found on one of those glitteringperhaps red, perhaps green, perhaps even bluedots."  -- John E. Riutta * The Well-read Naturalist * "What Willis wants to do is to look at the ways we can use facilities and discoveries here on Earth to make our suppositions as tenable as possible. To that end, he travels over the globe seeking out environs as diverse as the deep oceans black smokers, the meteorite littered sands of Moroccos Sahara and Chiles high desert. It's a lively read. . . . Its also a heartening work, because in the end the sense of lifes tenacity in all the environments Willis studies cannot help but make the reader optimistic. " -- Paul Gilster * Centauri Dreams * The underlying theme of the book rings true: to search for life beyond Earth, we have to understand life on Earth and what lessons it can offer for what to look for elsewhere, from fossils on Mars to biosignatures of telltale gases in the atmospheres of exoplanets. We mayin a year or a decade or longerfinally find that firm evidence that we are not alone. For now, we are that solitary pale blue dot in a bleak cosmos. -- Jeff Foust * The Space Review * "Very readable and accessible. . . . Worth a look." -- John Vester * National Space Society * "A highly engaging, captivating and timely book." -- Leonard David * Inside Outer Space * The search for alien life actually begins right in our own backyard. . . . Willis investigates the question 'Is there life off Earth?' by joining astrobiologists to study life right here on our planet. By envisioning extraterrestrial landscapes through the exploration of Earths closest analogs, Willis conjures up alien worlds and unthought-of biological possibilities, speculating what life might look like on other planets by extrapolating from what we can see on Earth. * UVic News * Stimulating. . . . The book shines in its attention to scale, shifting with ease between sensory-rich observations drawn from life, microhistories of major scientific personalities and engineering marvels, and technical descriptions. . . . Rich with firsthand fieldwork and unexpected connections, The Pale Blue Data Point is a thorough primer on humanitys centuries-long search for alien life in the observable universe. -- Isaac Randel * Foreword Reviews * Each chapter reveals a new location Willis traveled to and a different research technique he tested to search for life. . . . These Earth analogs provide direction for future space missions to consider as the search for alien life continues. Written in an engaging style, this volume is supported by black-and-white and color illustrations and a reading list. . . . Recommended. * Choice * The Pale Blue Data Point is goosebump inducing. Willis grapples with deep questions about our place in the universe, and readers may be astonished to learn that the answers could be breathtakingly close at hand. -- Lee Billings, author of "Five Billion Years of Solitude: The Search for Life Among the Stars" Williss book is quite novel: He shows how the search for life in the cosmos is guided by our studies of life on Earth. And he does so with anecdotes of his own travels to experience the different Earth-bound investigationsof life in hydrothermal vents, fossilized bacteria, exoplanets, traces in meteorites, and morewhich makes the book extremely fun. An enlightening read (even as a physicist), The Pale Blue Data Point is a charming, compelling, and approachable look at how scientists are hunting beyond the Earth for life unknown to us. -- Gregory J. Gbur, author of "Falling Felines and Fundamental Physics" and "Invisibility: The History and Science of How Not to Be Seen" A lively introduction to the field of astrobiology. * The New York Times Book Review, on "All These Worlds Are Yours" * [ Willis] conveys great enthusiasm alongside necessary scientific skepticism. * The Wall Street Journal, on "All These Worlds Are Yours" * Energizing. . . . Through humorous, concise, accessible writing, Willis eloquently presents the growingthough still circumstantialevidence that we are not alone. * Publishers Weekly (starred review), on "All These Worlds Are Yours" * A concise overview of astrobiology and what we knowand, more importantly, what we dontabout the search for life elsewhere in our solar system and beyond. * The Space Review, on "All These Worlds Are Yours" *