SummaryIn this fascinating and cutting-edge work, Dr. Ben Bova
explores one of the most thrilling and elemental questions
humanity has ever posed: Are we alone? From Copernicus to
the advent of SETI and beyond, Bova takes his readers on a
tour of the scientific and political battles fought in the
pursuit of knowledge and speculates on what the future may
hold. Can life exist outside the planet Earth? The first question
one should ask is: How is it possible for life to exist
within Earth's brutal confines? On our own world, creatures
exist -- and thrive -- in environments first thought to be
completely alien and inhospitable. From the rare air of the
upper atmosphere to the depths of the oceans, life persists
amid crushing pressures, crippling heat, and absolute
darkness. Bacteria brought to the moon have survived for
years without water, at temperatures near absolute zero,
and in spite of radiation levels that would kill human
observers. With such resilient and tenacious creatures, it
seems that life could spring up, and survive, anywhere. Many skeptics believe that finding life outside our solar
system will never occur within our lifetime -- but perhaps
it's unnecessary to look that far. Our neighboring planets
may already serve as havens for extraterrestrial life.
Scientists have already identified ice caps on Mars and
what appears to be an enormous ocean underneath the ice of
Jupiter's moons. The atmosphere on Venus appeared harsh and
insupportable of life, composed of a toxic atmosphere and
oceans of acid -- until scientists concluded that Earth's
atmosphere was eerily similar billions of years ago. An
extraterrestrial colony, in some form, may already exist,
just awaiting discovery. With the development of new technology, such as the space-
based telescopes of NASA's Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF),
we may not have to leave the comfort of our home world to
discover proof of life elsewhere. But the greatest
impediment to such an important scientific discovery may
not be technological, but political. No scientific endeavor
can be launched without a budget, and matters of money are
within the arena of politicians. Dr. Bova explores some of
the key players and the arguments waged in a debate of both
scientific and cultural priorities, showing the emotions,
the controversy, and the egos involved in arguably the most
important scientific pursuit ever begun.
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