Book of the Week (June 27, 2011)

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Strange New Worlds: The Search for Alien Planets and Life Beyond our Solar System
By Ray Jayawardhana

Call Number:  QB 820 .J39 2011

Soon astronomers expect to find alien Earths by the dozens in orbit around distant suns. Before the decade is out, telltale signs that they harbor life may be found. If they are, the ramifications for all areas of human thought and endeavor--from religion and philosophy to art and biology--will be breathtaking. In Strange New Worlds, renowned astronomer Ray Jayawardhana brings news from the front lines of the epic quest to find planets--and alien life--beyond our solar system.


Only in the past fifteen years, after millennia of speculation, have astronomers begun to discover planets around other stars--hundreds in fact. But the hunt to find a true Earth-like world goes on. In this book, Jayawardhana vividly recounts the stories of the scientists and the remarkable breakthroughs that have ushered in this extraordinary age of exploration. He describes the latest findings--including his own--that are challenging our view of the cosmos and casting new light on the origins and evolution of planets and planetary systems. He reveals how technology is rapidly advancing to support direct observations of Jupiter-like gas giants and super-Earths--rocky planets with several times the mass of our own planet--and how astronomers use biomarkers to seek possible life on other worlds.

Strange New Worlds provides an insider's look at the cutting-edge science of today's planet hunters, our prospects for discovering alien life, and the debates and controversies at the forefront of extrasolar-planet research.

A Review from The Times Higher Education
For author events, media interviews, etc, check out the book's Facebook site

facebook.com/pages/Strange-New-Worlds-by-Ray-Jayawardhana/159891930719787

Comments

Super Earth said…
I read the super earth article on space.com just yesterday That is kind of a huge coincidence.
October 20, 2011 at 5:04 PM
Snuggle hunny kids said…
Delving into the Book of the Week from June 27, 2011! A time capsule of literary delights that never cease to surprise and inspire readers of all ages.
Strange new worlds jacket
October 24, 2023 at 6:48 AM

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