The crowded universe
Subtitle: the race to find life beyond earth
By: Alan Boss
Publisher: Basic Books
Published: 2011
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 227
ISBN-13: 9780465020393
Subjects: Exobiology; Extrasolar planets; Habitable planets
Other titles: Race to find life beyond earth
Description: Astronomer Alan Boss argues that based on what we already know about planetary systems, in the coming years we will find abundant Earths, including many that are indisputably alive. Life is not only possible elsewhere in the universe, Boss argues-it is common. Boss describes how our ideas about planetary formation have changed radically in the past decade and brings readers up to date on discoveries of bizarre inhabitants of various solar systems, including our own. America must stay in this new space race, Boss contends, or risk being left out of one of the most profoundly important discoveries of all time: the first confirmed finding of extraterrestrial life. --from publisher description.
Notes: Includes index.
Table of contents: title: A new space race; title: The struggle to find new worlds; title: Eccentric planets; title: Kiss my lips, Tootsie; title: The Mars gold rush; title: Instability : if I did it, here's how it happened; title: The battle of Prague; title: The Comedy Central approach; title: Transits gone wild; title: 300 solar systems and counting; title: Why don't you ever call?