In 1996, the news broke that fossilized bacteria were found in a rock that originated on Mars. The implications were staggering. Suddenly it was clear that life could, in fact, develop on other planets. If simple microorganisms developed on Mars, is it possible that there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe?
In Life Out There, acclaimed science author Michael White considers this question and all aspects of the search for aliens as he gives the reader an accessible look at the likelihood of extraterrestrial life in the universe. From theories about how life evolved on Earth to what contact with extraterrestrial life would mean for our institutions, our religious beliefs, and our self-image as a species, White explores various hypotheses in approachable layman's terms. He examines a host of questions at the heart of the matter: Is the evolution of animal life and the development of civilizations a very rare thing, or common to most worlds with a suitable environment? What would aliens look like? How would they travel interstellar distances? Is there a thriving intergalactic club out there from which we are currently excluded?
In this engaging inquiry, White combines the latest research from exobiologists, space engineers, and those involved in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) to unravel the issues and offer solutions to many of the mysteries surrounding this fascinating subject. Covering everything from quantum mechanics to conspiracy theories to special relativity to little green men, Life Out There is an essential survey of the phenomenon, a thought-provoking and myth-debunking guide to what is undoubtedly the question of the human era: Are we alone?
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