Amazon.comRock-solid science writer Timothy Ferris
has covered this ground before. In the two-hour PBS documentary that he wrote
and narrated--which shares the title, text, and many of the images of this
generously illustrated book--Ferris tackles two age-old questions about the
potentially universal nature of life: Are we alone, and, if not, is anybody
listening?
He's quick to warn that Life Beyond Earth isn't a "textbook," that its
"aim is not so much to provide answers as to help improve the quality of the
questions we all ask." Given that caveat, what Ferris has put together here is a
very approachable--and certainly very beautiful--survey of the evolution of life
on Earth, and the implications of that for possibly finding tenacious pockets of
life elsewhere, maybe even in our own solar system.
Ferris begins with the twin assumptions that we know now that life is tougher
than we ever imagined, and that we "should never underestimate the scope of
human ignorance." From there, he uses creatively illustrated examples to explain
everything from Earth's geological and biological timeline (with a Porsche C4S
on 5 kilometers of salt flats) to why Fermi's question might deserve a
good-hearted poke (as he waits for an uninvited lobster to crawl onto his plate
at a dinner table in Florence). Ferris has also pulled together scores of
gorgeous photographs from Hubble and other sources, eye-opening if brief
accounts of explorers past and present (both human and robotic), and short
observations from scientists in multiple disciplines.
Unless you're already well-read in the subject, you'll likely find that
Ferris achieves his goal. Life Beyond Earth doesn't just raise questions,
it raises particularly interesting ones that you might not have even thought to
ask. --Paul Hughes
From Publishers Weekly
Based on a TV
documentary (and using the same script), this accessible study of the search for
alien life translates well to audio. In a pleasant, scholarly tone, Ferris
explains what scientists have learned about the origins of life on earth,
evolution and the possibility of life on other planets. He dignifies the
oft-mocked search for extra-terrestrials, confirming that many "serious"
scientists find reason to assume that life exists elsewhere in the universe.
Ferris addresses the science world's current and potential search methods,
including recent space-probes sent to Mars, Europa and Titan to seek organic
matter. His explanations are clear and easy to understand, but not dumbed down,
and the text uses metaphors that the average listener can understand. For
example, Ferris explains that when scientists notice that a particular far-off
star seems to "wobble," it indicates that a planet is rotating around that star,
because even a small planet exerts a gravitational pull on its star, "like a toy
poodle on a leash running in circles around its owner." For the layperson, this
is an excellent introduction to an intriguing topic, though listeners may miss
the 100-plus illustrations in the hardcover version. Based on the Simon &
Schuster hardcover.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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