Download or read book The Search for Extraterrestrial Life Recent Developments written by M.D. Papagiannis and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 553 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: PROCEEDINGS IAU S)1WOSIUM 112 Michael D. Papagiannis Department of Astronomy Boston University Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA 1. THE SYMPOSIUM AND THE PROCEEDINGS IAU Symposium 112 - The Search for Extraterrestrial Life: Recent Developments, was held in Boston and in particular at the new Science Center of Boston University, June 18-21, 1984, and was attended by about 150 participants from 18 different countries. It was the first official scientific meeting organized by IAti Commission 51, the youngest of all IAU Commissions, which was established only in 1982 at the 18-th IAU General Assembly at Patras, Greece. This Volume of the Proceedings contains nearly 70 papers with about 90 authors from 20 different countries, including two papers from our Soviet colleagues (Kardashev and Slysh) who had not been able to attend our Symposium in Boston. The Volume is divided into eight Sections, the first of which serves as a general introduction, and the other seven correspond to the seven Sessions of the Symposium.
Download or read book Communication with Extraterrestrial Intelligence CETI written by Douglas A. Vakoch and published by State University of New York Press. This book was released on 2011-04-01 with total page 523 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In April 2010, fifty years to the month after the first experiment in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), scholars from a range of disciplines—including astronomy, mathematics, anthropology, history, and cognitive science—gathered at NASA's biennial Astrobiology Science Conference (AbSciCon) for a series of sessions on the search for intelligent life. This book highlights the most recent developments in SETI discussed at that conference, emphasizing the ways that SETI has grown since its inception. The volume covers three broad themes: First, leading researchers examine the latest developments in observational SETI programs, as well as innovative proposals for new search strategies and novel approaches to signal processing. Second, both proponents and opponents of "Active SETI" debate whether humankind should be transmitting intentional signals to other possible civilizations, rather than only listening. Third, constructive proposals for interstellar messages are juxtaposed with critiques that ask whether any meaningful exchange is possible with an independently evolved civilization, given the constraints of contact at interstellar distances, where a round-trip exchange could take centuries or millennia. As we reflect on a half-century of SETI research, we are reminded of the expansion of search programs made possible by technological and conceptual advances. In this spirit of ongoing exploration, the contributors to this book advocate a diverse range of approaches to make SETI increasingly more powerful and effective, as we embark on the next half-century of searching for intelligence beyond Earth.
Download or read book Aliens written by Jim Al-Khalili and published by Picador USA. This book was released on 2017-05-09 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Originally published in Great Britain by Profile Books Ltd, 2016.
Download or read book Waiting for Contact written by Lawrence Squeri and published by University Press of Florida. This book was released on 2016-08-31 with total page 213 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A cogent, engaging history of humanity's most ambitious quest--seeking outward for other minds."--David Brin, author of Existence "A fascinating perspective on humankind's obsession for knowing if there is anyone else out there."--Gerrit L. Verschuur, author of The Invisible Universe: The Story of Radio Astronomy "Squeri has written what will likely be the definitive history of the early days of SETI that includes profiles of some of its leading characters."--Ben Zuckerman, coeditor of Extraterrestrials: Where Are They? "An insightful history that explores the scientific foundations of the modern-day search for our place in the cosmos. Waiting for Contact delivers unparalleled access to the inner history of SETI and invites us to ride along on the journey to answer one of science's ultimate questions: Are we alone?"--Douglas Vakoch, president, METI International "Waiting for Contact is a balanced account, telling the tale of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence without the overpromise usually trumpeted by enthusiastic proponents and the hyperventilation so commonly added by UFO enthusiasts. If you are simply interested in the history, unvarnished by an agenda, you'll enjoy this book."--Don Lincoln, author of Alien Universe: Extraterrestrial Life in Our Minds and in the Cosmos Imagine a network of extraterrestrials in radio contact with each other across the universe, superior beings who hail from advanced civilizations quadrillions of miles away, just waiting for Earth to tune in. Some people believe it’s only a matter of time before we discover the right "station." Waiting for Contact tells the story of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) movement, which emerged in 1959 as astronomers began using radio telescopes to listen for messages from space. New technological developments turned what once was speculation into science. Boosted by support from Frank Drake, Philip Morrison, Carl Sagan, and the genre of science fiction, the SETI movement gained followers and continues to capture imaginations today. In this one-of-a-kind history, Lawrence Squeri looks at the people, reasons, goals, and mindsets behind SETI. He shows how it started as an expression of the times, a way out of Cold War angst with hope for a better world. SETI's early advocates thought that with guidance from technically and ethically advanced outsiders, humanity might learn how to avoid horrors like nuclear annihilation and societal collapse from overpopulation. Some hoped that good news from outer space might reveal a cure for cancer or even the secret of immortality. Squeri also describes the challenges SETI has faced over the years: the struggle to be taken seriously by the scientific community and by NASA, competition for access to radio telescopes, perpetual lack of funding, and opposition from influential politicians. He covers the rise and fall of Soviet SETI and the few rare meetings between Soviet and American astronomers. Despite many setbacks, the movement pressed forward with the aid of private donations and developed outreach programs. Volunteers can now help search for new civilizations on their personal computers by joining the SETI@Home project. Today, SETI researchers continue to see themselves as explorers. They often identify with Columbus, and just as Columbus never realized the full implications of his discovery, we cannot predict what will happen if contact is made. This book points out that if, against all expectations, the embattled SETI movement finally succeeds, the long-awaited first signal picked up by its radio antennas will usher the greatest shift in human history. A new adventure will begin. Lawrence Squeri is professor emeritus of history at East Stroudsburg University.
Download or read book The Search for Extraterrestrial Life written by Don Nardo and published by Lucent Press. This book was released on 2006 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It would terribly egocentric of humankind to believe that they are the only intelligent life in the universe. Since 1995, scientists have detected more than 120 planets orbiting other stars. They have discovered oceans of liquid water that have been beneath the surfaces of several moons in our solar system. The search for other life continues. This fascinating volume explores the scientific probabilities of extraterrestrial life and current scientific efforts to find it.
Download or read book Beyond UFOs written by Jeffrey Bennett and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2011-05-02 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The quest for extraterrestrial life doesn't happen only in science fiction. This book describes the startling discoveries being made in the very real science of astrobiology, an intriguing new field that blends astronomy, biology, and geology to explore the possibility of life on other planets. Jeffrey Bennett takes readers beyond UFOs to discuss some of the tantalizing questions astrobiologists grapple with every day: What is life and how does it begin? What makes a planet or moon habitable? Is there life on Mars or elsewhere in the solar system? How can life be recognized on distant worlds? Is it likely to be microbial, more biologically complex--or even intelligent? What would such a discovery mean for life here on Earth? Come along on this scientific adventure and learn the astonishing implications of discoveries made in this field for the future of the human race. Bennett, who believes that "science is a way of helping people come to agreement," explains how the search for extraterrestrial life can help bridge the divide that sometimes exists between science and religion, defuse public rancor over the teaching of evolution, and quiet the debate over global warming. He likens humanity today to a troubled adolescent teetering on the edge between self-destruction and a future of virtually limitless possibilities. Beyond UFOs shows why the very quest to find alien life can help us to grow up as a species and chart a course for the stars. In a new afterword, Bennett shares the most recent developments in extrasolar research, and discusses how they might further our quest to find alien life.
Download or read book Science Religion and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence written by David Wilkinson and published by . This book was released on 2013-08 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is about the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, taking seriously the current scientific arguments and its implications for religion.
Download or read book Civilizations Beyond Earth written by Douglas A. Vakoch and published by Berghahn Books. This book was released on 2011-09-01 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Astronomers around the world are pointing their telescopes toward the heavens, searching for signs of intelligent life. If they make contact with an advanced alien civilization, how will humankind respond? In thinking about first contact, the contributors to this volume present new empirical and theoretical research on the societal dimensions of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). Archaeologists and astronomers explore the likelihood that extraterrestrial intelligence exists, using scientific insights to estimate such elusive factors as the longevity of technological societies. Sociologists present the latest findings of novel surveys, tapping into the public’s attitudes about life beyond Earth to show how religion and education influence beliefs about extraterrestrials. Scholars from such diverse disciplines as mathematics, chemistry, journalism, and religious studies offer innovative solutions for bridging the cultural gap between human and extraterrestrial civilizations, while recognizing the tremendous challenges of communicating at interstellar distances. At a time when new planets are being discovered around other stars at an unprecedented rate, this collection provides a much needed guide to the human impact of discovering we are not alone in the universe.
Download or read book The Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence written by David Lamb and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2005-07-26 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Is the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence a genuine scientific research programme? David Lamb evaluates claims and counter-claims, and examines recent attempts to establish contact with other intelligent life forms. He considers the benefits and drawbacks of this communication, how we should communicate and whether we actually can. He also assesses competing theories on the origin of life on Earth, discoveries of former solar planets, proposals for space colonies and the consequent technical and ethical issues.
Download or read book Extraterrestrials written by Ben Zuckerman and published by CUP Archive. This book was released on 1995-09-28 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Experts critically examine the belief that other intelligent life exists in our galaxy.
Download or read book Planet Hunters written by Lucas Ellerbroek and published by Reaktion Books. This book was released on 2017-09-15 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Astronomers are on the verge of answering one of our most profound questions: are we alone in the universe? The ability to detect life in remote solar systems is at last within sight, and its discovery—even if only in microbial form—would revolutionize our self-image. Planet Hunters is the rollicking tale of the search for extraterrestrial life and the history of an academic discipline. Astronomer Lucas Ellerbroek takes readers on a fantastic voyage through space, time, history, and even to the future as he describes the field of exoplanet research, from the early ideas of sixteenth-century heretic Giordano Bruno to the discovery of the first exoplanet in 1995 to the invention of the Kepler Space Telescope. We join him on his travels as he meets with leading scientists in the field, including Michel Mayor, who discovered the first exoplanet, and Bill Borucki, principal investigator for NASA’s Kepler mission. Taken together, the experiences, passion, and perseverance of the scientists featured here make the book an exciting and compelling read. Presenting cutting-edge research in a dynamic and accessible way, Planet Hunters is a refreshing look into a field where new discoveries come every week and paradigms shift every year.
Download or read book SETI 2020 written by Ronald D. Ekers and published by S E T I Press. This book was released on 2002 with total page 549 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: If you are interested in how researchers plan to search the heavens for signs of intelligent life, you should have this book. SETI 2020 is a new, and remarkably comprehensive study of how scientists busy with the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) should direct their efforts between now and the year 2020. Distilling the work of dozens of top SETI experts, astronomers, and technology mavens, this book gives an overview of the problem of finding evidence for extraterrestrial technologies, and how to best address it. New radio telescopes consisting of large arrays of relatively small antennas are proposed and detailed. So are new types of antennas that can survey the entire sky at once. Of particular interest is the extensive treatment of optical SETI -- the search for signals beamed our way using high-powered, pulsed lasers or their equivalent. A book that's interesting for both the layman and the technically sophisticated, SETI 2020 is the definitive publication in this fascinating field.
Download or read book Seti written by Charles River and published by . This book was released on 2020-12-03 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures *Includes a bibliography for further reading The question of man's place in the extended universe has been pondered by every known culture since the beginning of recorded history. Lacking the means to prove otherwise, discussions of an alternative to Earth's solitary existence have remained conceptual. The ongoing debate is spurred by the appearance of unexplainable phenomena through the centuries in the atmosphere and the space beyond, so much so that contact with alien civilizations has been depicted in some of the most ancient examples of representational art. In the rock drawings of Valcamonica on Italy's Lombardy Plain, tantalizing etchings suggest that ancient man experienced the same type of appearances as those revealed to modern man. These drawings dating back to 10,000 BC serve as the counterpart to the present day's alleged evidence of such contact. In addition to aerial craft, depictions include light-emitting, helmeted human figures carrying unidentifiable artifacts. Such examples are to be found not only in the terrain of the world's land mass, but also in ancient tablets, temples and vast western cathedrals. In both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, the appearance of what seems like supernatural beings are commonly typified by Ezekiel's visions of the "wheel," interpreted by many to represent a "heavenly" craft or creature from the Seraphic realm. Similar appearances range to angelic visitations at the birth of Christ and on to the Book of Revelation at the New Testament's conclusion. Lacking scientific language with which to analyze these appearances, the angelic metaphor within the "heavenly hierarchy" model became the chosen designation of a scientifically uneducated population. The representations are esteemed and worshipped as the veritable reality of those times by millions throughout the world. If they depict actual events and beings, the Garden of Eden's angel of the flaming sword, the annunciation to Mary, and the appearance of heralds to the shepherds may be reinterpreted as any manner of phenomena through a scientific perspective. Naturally, as technological advances and the creation of flying aircraft became realities, the sighting of UFOs increased, as did the interest in potential contact with aliens. While incidents like the one at Roswell led to conspiracies and a craze among those who insisted the government was hiding proof of extraterrestrials' existence, governments across the world were actually secretly studying UFO sightings by the mid-20th century. By the end of the 1950s, the Cold War was ramping up, but so were scientists' efforts to collaborate on the search for signs of extraterrestrial life, particularly through radio. Proceeding under the forthright moniker of Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, the broadly defined mission of organized searches was to "explore, understand, and explain the origin and nature in the universe and the evolution of intelligence." Among its fellow organizations, SETI was unquestionably the most highly interdisciplinary, bringing together elements of cosmology, planetology, atmospheric science, the study of evolution, evolutionary biology, psychology, technology, and sociology. In the more than 60 years since, the efforts of countless scientists, astronomers, and even amateur observers have produced both interesting and controversial results, and the work has led to further speculation surrounding the nature of extraterrestrial life and why scientists have thus far not established definitive results of alien contact. SETI: The History and Legacy of the Search for Extraterrestrial Life examines the origins of the searches, the SETI Program, and what the work has produced. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about SETI like never before.
Download or read book Strategies for the Search for Life in the Universe written by M.D. Papagiannis and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Leo Goldberg Kitt Peak National Observatory Tucson, Arizona 85726, U. S. A. Of all the reasons for exploring the Universe, none is more com pelling than the possibility of discovering intelligent life elsewhere in the Universe. Still the quest for extraterrestrial life has been near the bottom of the astronomers' list of priorities, not because the number of extraterrestrial civilizations is conjectured to be van ishingly small, but because our powers of detection were thought to be far too weak. About ten years ago, however, the growing reach of ra dio telescopes on the ground and of optical and infrared telescopes in space persuaded a number of thoughtful astronomers that the time for a more serious search had arrived. Accordingly, a joint Soviet-American conference on the problems of Communication with Extraterrestrial In telligence was convened at the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory of the Armenian Academy of Sciences during September 5-11, 1971 and was soon followed by a number of other important meetings, notably a series of NASA-sponsored workshops in the USA held between January, 1975 and May, 1976. Since SETI is fundamentally an international undertaking and as tronomical methods and techniques are required for its pursuit, it is natural for the International Astronomical Union to lend its support by sponsoring conferences and otherwise facilitating cooperation among countries. The active involvement of the I. A. U.
Download or read book A Brief Introduction to the Search for Extra Terrestrial Life written by Cesare Barbieri and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2021-03-31 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This book provides an introduction to the exciting search for extra-terrestrial life, and an overview of the current status of research into 'alien' life in the Solar System and beyond. It also explores the potential future human exploration of the Moon and Mars. Up-to-date with the latest developments in the field and accompanied by key references for further study, it is a fantastic introduction to the field of astrobiology for non-science majors taking an elective module, in addition to undergraduates studying physics with an interest in this area"--
Download or read book Extraterrestrial written by Avi Loeb and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2021-01-26 with total page 245 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New York Times Bestseller | Wall Street Journal Bestseller | Publishers Weekly Bestseller | Publishers Marketplace 2020 Buzz Book | Amazon Best Book of the Year | Longlisted for the 2022 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award “Provocative and thrilling ... Loeb asks us to think big and to expect the unexpected.” —Alan Lightman, New York Times bestselling author of Einstein’s Dreams and Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine Harvard’s top astronomer lays out his controversial theory that our solar system was recently visited by advanced alien technology from a distant star. In late 2017, scientists at a Hawaiian observatory glimpsed an object soaring through our inner solar system, moving so quickly that it could only have come from another star. Avi Loeb, Harvard’s top astronomer, showed it was not an asteroid; it was moving too fast along a strange orbit, and left no trail of gas or debris in its wake. There was only one conceivable explanation: the object was a piece of advanced technology created by a distant alien civilization. In Extraterrestrial, Loeb takes readers inside the thrilling story of the first interstellar visitor to be spotted in our solar system. He outlines his controversial theory and its profound implications: for science, for religion, and for the future of our species and our planet. A mind-bending journey through the furthest reaches of science, space-time, and the human imagination, Extraterrestrial challenges readers to aim for the stars—and to think critically about what’s out there, no matter how strange it seems.
Download or read book The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence SETI written by Philip Morrison and published by . This book was released on 1977 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
