Life in the Cosmos
From Biosignatures to Technosignatures
Published on 29. June 2021
Book
Hardback
1088 pages
978-0-674-98757-9 (ISBN)
Description
A rigorous and scientific analysis of the myriad possibilities of life beyond our planet.
"Are we alone in the universe?" 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 Avi Loeb tackle three areas of interest in hunting for life "out there": 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.
"Are we alone in the universe?" 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 Avi Loeb tackle three areas of interest in hunting for life "out there": 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.
Reviews / Votes
The new go-to for astrobiology. Life in the Cosmos is a quantitative and encyclopedic tour de force for all topics related to the origin of life on Earth and life's existence beyond. -- Sara Seager, author of <i>The Smallest Lights in the Universe</i> An instant classic. Lingam and Loeb's brilliant Life in the Cosmos is a momentous scientific achievement. To anyone looking to dig deep into the exciting prospect of discovering extraterrestrial life, I say: Make space on your bookshelf. -- Michael J. Russell, University of Turin A book of sweeping vision. Lingam and Loeb offer detailed and insightful analysis of the challenges we face as we investigate the universal distribution of this unusual material we call life. A helpful and fascinating read. -- Charles Cockell, author of <i>Astrobiology: Understanding Life in the Universe</i> Are we alone in the universe? Lingam and Loeb provide expert guidance to the many dimensions of this fundamental question-and, just maybe, how to answer it. -- Andrew H. Knoll, author of <i>A Brief History of Earth: Four Billion Years in Eight Chapters</i> A remarkable and modern survey of how to search for life in the universe, from two of the boldest, most innovative thinkers in the field today. Impressively detailed, this book takes into account what we know about life on Earth to consider what we don't know about life elsewhere. -- Jason Wright, Director, Penn State Extraterrestrial Intelligence Center This book discusses everything you ever wanted to know about life in the cosmos. Lingam and Loeb are the best guides for this truly breathtaking journey, providing masterful and comprehensive answers for everyone, from the scholar to the amateur stargazer. -- Dimitar Sasselov, author of <i>The Life of Super-Earths: How the Hunt for Alien Worlds and Artificial Cells Will Revolutionize Life on Our Planet</i> The search for intelligent alien life continues to motivate and inspire generations of scientists and the public alike...The authors separate themselves from other treatments of similar topics by focusing on 'extraterrestrial technological intelligences' rather than alien life more generally. * Nature Astronomy * Boldly goes where few academic books have gone before by seriously and open-mindedly considering the possibility of extraterrestrial technological intelligence on par with or far beyond humans...Chock-full of interesting topics and insights...A stellar achievement that deserves the undivided attention of readers who are ready to take a deep dive into astrobiology. * Inquisitive Biologist * An excellent primer on life on earth, from the very beginnings...Both incredibly wide-ranging and constantly fascinating. * Complete Review *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge, Mass
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
2 photos, 78 illus., 9 tables
Dimensions
Height: 241 mm
Width: 171 mm
Thickness: 52 mm
Weight
1564 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-674-98757-9 (9780674987579)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Manasvi Lingam is Assistant Professor of Astrobiology at the Florida Institute of Technology, an affiliate of the Institute for Theory and Computation at Harvard University, and a member of the American Physical Society. Avi Loeb is Frank B. Baird, Jr., Professor of Science at Harvard University. He is Founding Director of Harvard's Black Hole Initiative, chair of the Board on Physics and Astronomy of the National Academies, and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.