Science, Society, and the Search for Life in the Universe - Softcover

Jakosky, Bruce M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0816526133 ISBN 13: 9780816526130

Publisher: University of Arizona Press, 2006

Synopsis

Are we alone in the universe? As humans, are we unique or are we part of a greater cosmic existence? What is life’s future on Earth and beyond? How does life begin and develop? These are age-old questions that have inspired wonder and controversy ever since the first people looked up into the sky. With today’s technology, however, we are closer than ever to finding the answers.

Astrobiology is the relatively new, but fast growing scientific discipline that involves trying to understand the origin, evolution, and distribution of life within the universe. It is also one of the few scientific disciplines that attracts the public’s intense curiosity and attention. This interest stems largely from the deep personal meaning that the possible existence of extraterrestrial life has for so many. Whether this meaning relates to addressing the “Big Questions” of our existence, the possibility of encountering life on other planets, or the potential impact on our understanding of religion, there is no doubt that the public is firmly vested in finding answers.

In this broadly accessible introduction to the field, Bruce Jakosky looks at the search for life in the universe not only from a scientific perspective, but also from a distinctly social one. In lucid and engaging prose, he addresses topics including the contradiction between the public’s fascination and the meager dialogue that exists between those within the scientific community and those outside of it, and what has become some of the most impassioned political wrangling ever seen in government science funding.

About this title

About the Author:

Bruce Jakosky is a professor and the Associate Director for Science in the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Review:

“Highly recommended for anyone genuinely interested in a serious, scholarly, non-metaphysical discussion of life in outer space.” —Midwest Book Review

About this edition

• Publisher: University of Arizona Press
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0816526133
• ISBN 13: 9780816526130
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 3
• Number of pages: 160