★ 06/27/2016
Miller (It’s Not Rocket Science), an English comedian and science writer, celebrates the human fascination with the search for extraterrestrial life and grounds it with equally fascinating science. The place to start studying aliens, Miller assures readers, is right here on Earth. Extremophiles—microorganisms that live in seemingly inimical environments such as inside rocks around deep-sea volcanic vents or frigid Antarctic lakes—show that life is “tenacious, commonplace, and infinitely adaptable.” Such strange life forms might even be as nearby as the icy oceans of Jupiter’s moon Europa or the methane slush on Saturn’s moon Titan. Miller covers a lot of ground with humor and insight, addressing how scientists define life and how it evolved on Earth, and offering a short history of UFO sightings and scientists’ continued search for life-bearing exoplanets and signals from alien civilizations. Miller’s book is a lively and accessible blend of pop culture and science in which a Dire Straits encore explains the Drake Equation, the platypus introduces evolution, the second law of thermodynamics gets a workout, and readers meet Mazlan Othman, the UN’s official ambassador for Earth. Pop science readers will have fun with this energetic look at the hunt for alien life. Agent: Heather Holden-Brown, HHB (U.K.). (Oct.)
"An eclectic and entertaining story, weaving together space exploration, the evolution of life on Earth, the Drake Equation and Egyptian hieroglyphs. That’s nontrivial, as we say in physics, but Ben Miller manages it!"
"Miller provides a light-hearted but thorough exploration of the science behind the search for intelligent alien life—what it might be like, where and how we might find it—and reflects on whether we could understand or recognize an alien at all."
"This rousing history of the search for extraterrestrial life takes us from the origins of the twentieth-century fixation on UFOs right up to present-day scientific research. It’s a very entertaining book, but it’s also rigorously researched and intelligently presented."
"2016 Foreword INDIES Gold Winner
"Whether it’s an objective look at UFO encounters, detailing the challenges of contacting aliens or explaining how life on Earth can inform our search, his snappy, conversational style will keep you turning the pages."
"A witty and informative romp through our search for little green men that says as much about human ingenuity as it does about the aliens we seek."
"An entertaining and thought-provoking look behind the scenes at our search for extraterrestrial life."
"Miller shows that he has a well-developed ability to explain complex concepts simply and clearly, with a dash of humor. Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; faculty and general readers."
"Miller provides a light-hearted but thorough exploration of the science behind the search for intelligent alien life—what it might be like, where and how we might find it—and reflects on whether we could understand or recognize an alien at all."
Whether it’s an objective look at UFO encounters, detailing the challenges of contacting aliens or explaining how life on Earth can inform our search, his snappy, conversational style will keep you turning the pages.”—Discover
“Miller provides a light-hearted but thorough exploration of the science behind the search for intelligent alien life—what it might be like, where and how we might find it—and reflects on whether we could understand or recognize an alien at all.”—Science
“[Miller] celebrates the human fascination with the search for extraterrestrial life and grounds it with equally fascinating science. . . . Pop science readers will have fun with this energetic look at the hunt for alien life.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review “A lively, thoughtful look at a scientific frontier that captures our imagination while posing a serious moral question about our responsibilities as citizens of the universe.”—Kirkus “This rousing history of the search for extraterrestrial life takes us from the origins of the twentieth-century fixation on UFOs right up to present-day scientific research. It’s a very entertaining book, but it’s also rigorously researched and intelligently presented.” —Booklist “Miller shows that he has a well-developed ability to explain complex concepts simply and clearly, with a dash of humor. Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; faculty and general readers.”—Choice “An entertaining and thought-provoking look behind the scenes at our search for extraterrestrial life.”—Shelf Awareness “An eclectic and entertaining story, weaving together space exploration, the evolution of life on Earth, the Drake Equation and Egyptian hieroglyphs. That’s nontrivial, as we say in physics, but Ben Miller manages it!” —Brian Cox, author of Why Does E=mc2? “A witty and informative romp through our search for little green men that says as much about human ingenuity as it does about the aliens we seek.”—Dara O’Briain, comedian 2016 Foreword INDIES Gold Winner
2016-08-03
Why the search for extraterrestrial intelligence is no longer just the province of science fiction but rather “the emergent belief of a generation of physicists, biologists and chemists that we are not alone.”Quantum physicist Miller (It’s Not Rocket Science, 2014) dates the “sea change” from fiction to serious science to the discovery by NASA's recent Kepler mission that “planets like ours are common throughout the galaxy.” This raises the possibility that “our first encounter with alien life is rapidly approaching.” The author makes the provocative assumption that the discovery of microbial life in such extreme conditions tells us that “biology is as universal as chemistry.” If life can exist in such extreme conditions on Earth as the hot springs formed by geysers in Yellowstone Park, then why not on Mars or on Jupiter's moons? More to the point, writes the author, the “recent discovery of Earth-like planets by the Kepler Space Telescope” raises the possibility that they, too, might harbor intelligent life. Miller concisely and entertainingly reviews the evidence substantiating his contention that the preconditions necessary for life to exist and evolve, from microbes to intelligent beings like humans, are not necessarily unique to Earth. These include a gravitational field large enough to sustain an atmosphere and the existence of sufficient water and volcanoes to provide the chemical basis for life. However, the leap from microorganisms to intelligent life here on Earth is still not fully understood. The emergence of humans still appears to be a remarkable evolutionary event. Miller concludes with a big question. Assuming that there are other intelligent civilizations out there, how can we communicate with them? First, he wisely suggests, we must learn how to communicate with each other and the other beings that inhabit our planet. A lively, thoughtful look at a scientific frontier that captures our imagination while posing a serious moral question about our responsibilities as citizens of the universe.
In today's world, science needs its champions, and Ben Miller is certainly one of them. He narrates his work with enthusiasm and precision. Rigorously researched, this history of the search for extraterrestrial life takes us from the twentieth-century fixation on UFOs right up to present day. Miller’s clear, entertaining guide to the complex search for alien life explains the science behind our universe. Miller frequently adds humor to his thought-provoking work. His assured voice ramps up the excitement of new or reevaluated discoveries. He makes it seem as if he's having a relaxed, informative conversation with listeners, who will undoubtedly learn something from this quantum physicist. S.C.A. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
In today's world, science needs its champions, and Ben Miller is certainly one of them. He narrates his work with enthusiasm and precision. Rigorously researched, this history of the search for extraterrestrial life takes us from the twentieth-century fixation on UFOs right up to present day. Miller’s clear, entertaining guide to the complex search for alien life explains the science behind our universe. Miller frequently adds humor to his thought-provoking work. His assured voice ramps up the excitement of new or reevaluated discoveries. He makes it seem as if he's having a relaxed, informative conversation with listeners, who will undoubtedly learn something from this quantum physicist. S.C.A. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
