Space on Earth: Saving Our World by Seeking Others (Macmillan Science)
Starred Review.If the connection between environmental studies and space settlement seems a bit farfetched, biologist Cockell's fascinating, impassioned book could convert even the most skeptical. Written for the general reader, Cockell presents a logical and methodical argument (and many reinforcing examples) for merging the two disciplines, which he believes share the same objective: "creating sustainable human communities in the cosmos-whether they are on the Earth or on any other planet." Studying the earth's deserts or the hotspots in Yellowstone National park, for example, may assist us in the study of Mars, while ongoing space exploration has provided Earth with an extensive satellite network which can be used for discovering new oil fields in Saudi Arabia or identifying areas in Mongolia where snow has melted, allowing herds to graze. Chapters focus on the current crises we face, the practical and ethical dimensions of "green living" and "greening the universe," and why mankind must tackle both tasks at once to ensure survival. In order to achieve success in "exploring, settling and understanding the Universe," Cockell calls on government, industry and academia to take the lead in creating a "systemic link between environmentalism and space exploration"; readers of this infectious volume will be hard pressed not to take up the cry.Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.