The Search for Life in the Universe

by Goldsmith, Donald; Owen, Tobias

• ISBN13: 9781891389160
• ISBN10: 1891389165
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-08-01
• Publisher: Univ Science Books

Summary

The authors present the most important facts about astronomy from a uniquely engaging viewpoint: how can we find other advanced civilizations? To address the question, Goldsmith and Owen provide a fascinating description of the history and structure of the universe, and then consider current ideas about the origin and cosmic distribution of life. Their book is an up-to-the-minute account of our understanding of the universe, of the likelihood of life throughout the cosmos, and of the ways in which advanced civilizations can make contact. World-renowned authority on extraterrestrial life Donald Goldsmith gives the reader a solid introduction to the subject, and the revision includes new information from all areas of current astronomical research. No science background is required, and the mathematics level is high- school algebra.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xiii
Jill Tarter
Preface	xv
Part One: Why Do We Search?	1	(22)
The Search from the Human Perspective	3	(20)
The Quest for Life's Origins	5	(2)
The Importance of Mars	7	(4)
The Scientific View of the Universe	11	(1)
The Laws of Nature	12	(1)
Applying Scientific Thinking in Everyday Life	13	(1)
The Scientific Method in the Search for Extraterrestrial Life	14	(3)
Cosmic Loneliness	17	(2)
A Conservative Approach to the Search for Life	19	(4)
Summary	20	(1)
Key Term	21	(1)
Questions	21	(1)
Further Reading	21	(2)
Part Two: The Universe	23	(138)
The Universe Small and Large	25	(22)
The Distances to Astronomical Objects	27	(3)
The Scale of the Solar System	30	(1)
Measuring Stellar Distances with the Parallax Effect	31	(3)
Estimating Distances with the Inverse-Square Brightness Law	34	(1)
The Spectra of Stars	35	(12)
Summary	43	(1)
Key Terms	44	(1)
Questions	44	(1)
Further Reading	44	(3)
The Birthplaces of Stars	47	(22)
Probing the Spaces Between the Stars	49	(2)
Radio Waves from Interstellar Hydrogen Atoms	51	(4)
Interstellar Dust Grains	55	(1)
Interstellar Molecules	55	(2)
Molecular Clouds	57	(2)
The Different Types of Molecules in Molecular Clouds	59	(3)
Did Life Begin in Interstellar Clouds?	62	(1)
The Birth of Stars	63	(2)
How Many Stars Form with Planets?	65	(4)
Summary	66	(1)
Key Terms	67	(1)
Questions	67	(1)
Further Reading	68	(1)
Energy Liberation in Stars	69	(22)
Types of Stars	70	(4)
The Temperature-Luminosity Diagram	74	(2)
Red Giants and White Dwarfs	76	(1)
Stellar Lifetimes	77	(1)
How Stars Liberate Energy	78	(1)
The Proton-Proton Cycle	78	(4)
The Importance of Temperature Inside Stars	82	(3)
The Struggle Between Gravity and Pressure	85	(1)
The Influence of Mass on Stellar Lifetimes	85	(6)
Summary	88	(1)
Key Terms	88	(1)
Questions	88	(1)
Further Reading	89	(2)
How Stars End Their Lives	91	(28)
Nuclear Fuel Consumption in Stars	91	(1)
The Evolution of Stars	92	(2)
The Red-Giant Phase	94	(2)
White Dwarfs	96	(2)
Could Civilizations Exist Around White Dwarfs?	98	(1)
Supernova Explosions	98	(2)
The Production of Heavy Elements in Supernovae	100	(3)
The Effects of Supernovae on Later Generations of Stars	103	(1)
Cosmic Rays	104	(1)
Black Holes	105	(1)
Pulsars: Cosmic Lighthouses?	105	(6)
Precise Pulsar Timing Reveals the Existence of Planets!	111	(1)
The Binary Pulsar and Gravity Radiation	111	(3)
Gamma-Ray Bursters: Mysterious Powerhouses of the Cosmos	114	(5)
Summary	116	(1)
Key Terms	117	(1)
Questions	117	(1)
Further Reading	118	(1)
Galaxies and the Expanding Universe	119	(42)
Spiral Galaxies	121	(7)
The Structure of Spiral Galaxies	123	(3)
Dark Matter in Spiral Galaxies	126	(2)
Elliptical Galaxies	128	(2)
Irregular Galaxies	130	(1)
The Formation of Galaxies	130	(3)
Star Clusters	133	(2)
Radio Galaxies	135	(1)
The Doppler Shift and the Expanding Universe	136	(4)
The Big Bang	140	(2)
The Cosmic Background of Photons	142	(2)
The Hypothesis of the Inflationary Universe	144	(1)
Dark Matter on the Largest Scales of Distance	145	(2)
Is the Universe Finite or Infinite?	147	(2)
Will the Universe Expand Forever?	149	(3)
Quasars	152	(2)
Accretion Disks and Supermassive Black Holes	154	(1)
Could Quasars Be Intergalactic Beacons?	155	(6)
Summary	156	(2)
Key Terms	158	(1)
Questions	158	(1)
Further Reading	159	(2)
Part Three: Life	161	(96)
The Nature of Life on Earth	163	(24)
What Is Life?	163	(4)
Biologically Important Compounds	167	(5)
The Capacity to Reproduce	172	(1)
DNA Does More than Govern Reproduction	173	(5)
Evolution and the Arrow of Time	178	(2)
Energy	180	(2)
The Unity of Life	182	(5)
Summary	183	(1)
Key Terms	184	(1)
Questions	184	(1)
Further Reading	185	(2)
The Origin of Life	187	(26)
How Earth Got Its Atmosphere	189	(2)
The Evolution of the Atmosphere	191	(1)
The Effects of Life on the Evolution of Earth's Atmosphere	192	(4)
Early Ideas About the Origin of Life	196	(1)
The Chemical Evolution Model for the Origin of Life	197	(3)
An Experimental Test of the Primordial-Soup Model	200	(2)
Did Life Really Originate in This Manner?	202	(1)
An External Alternative	203	(2)
Polymerization	205	(2)
Is Our Starting Point Too Advanced?	207	(1)
Beyond Polymers	207	(6)
Summary	210	(1)
Key Terms	211	(1)
Questions	211	(1)
Further Reading	211	(2)
From Molecules to Minds	213	(24)
Prokaryotes	213	(4)
Eukaryotes	217	(3)
The Great Leap Forward	220	(3)
Suitable Stars for Life	223	(1)
Life on Other Planets	224	(2)
Evolution and the Development of Intelligence	226	(1)
Is Intelligence Inevitable?	226	(4)
Future Evolution on Earth	230	(1)
The Web of Life	231	(6)
Summary	233	(1)
Key Terms	234	(1)
Questions	234	(1)
Further Reading	235	(2)
How Strange Can Life Be?	237	(20)
The Chemistry of Alien Life	237	(2)
The Superiority of Carbon	239	(3)
Solvents	242	(4)
Nonchemical Life	246	(2)
Black Clouds	248	(2)
Life on Neutron Stars	250	(2)
Gravitational Life	252	(1)
The Advantages of Being Average	253	(4)
Summary	254	(1)
Key Terms	255	(1)
Questions	255	(1)
Further Reading	255	(2)
Part Four: The Search for Life in the Solar System	257	(134)
The Origin and Early History of the Solar System	259	(32)
The Formation of the Solar System	260	(6)
Comets	266	(7)
Asteroids, Meteoroids, and Meteorites	273	(2)
Bombardment of the Inner Planets: A Threat to Life?	275	(3)
Meteorites	278	(1)
Amino Acids in Meteorites	279	(1)
Mercury and the Moon	280	(2)
The Early History of the Earth and the Moon	282	(3)
Human Exploration of the Moon	285	(6)
Summary	287	(1)
Key Terms	288	(1)
Questions	289	(1)
Further Reading	289	(2)
Venus	291	(16)
The Temperature and Rotation of Venus	292	(2)
The Atmosphere of Venus	294	(1)
The Greenhouse Effect	295	(2)
Why Is Venus So Different from Earth?	297	(3)
Life on Venus?	300	(2)
Exploration of Venus by Spaceraft	302	(5)
Summary	305	(1)
Key Terms	305	(1)
Questions	305	(1)
Further Reading	306	(1)
Mars	307	(28)
Modern Observations of Mars	309	(1)
Results from Early Space Probes to Mars	310	(5)
The Viking Project	315	(6)
Mars After Viking	321	(5)
Further Missions to Mars	326	(4)
Phobos and Deimos	330	(5)
Summary	332	(1)
Key Terms	332	(1)
Questions	333	(1)
Further Reading	333	(2)
Is There Life on Mars?	335	(26)
How to Find Martian Microorganisms	337	(2)
The Viking Results: Atmospheric Analysis	339	(1)
The Viking Results: Soil Analysis	340	(1)
The Viking Biology Experiments	341	(3)
Results of the Viking Biology Experiments	344	(2)
Did the Vikings Land in the Wrong Places?	346	(3)
An Ancient Eden? Goals for Future Exploration	349	(1)
Rocks from Mars! A Preview of Coming Attractions	350	(3)
What Went Wrong on Mars?	353	(1)
Epilogue: What About That Face on Mars?	354	(7)
Summary	357	(1)
Key Terms	358	(1)
Questions	358	(1)
Further Reading	359	(2)
The Giant Planets and Their Satellites	361	(30)
Spacecraft to the Outer Solar System	362	(6)
The Composition of the Giant Planets	368	(3)
Chemistry on the Giant Planets	371	(3)
Could Life Exist on the Giant Planets?	374	(1)
Rings and Satellites	375	(4)
Titan	379	(4)
Iapetus: An Intelligence Test for Earthlings?	383	(1)
Triton: Chemistry at Low Temperatures	384	(1)
Cosmic Messengers	385	(6)
Summary	386	(1)
Key Terms	387	(1)
Questions	387	(1)
Further Reading	388	(3)
Part Five: The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence	391	(157)
Is Earth Unique?	393	(24)
Which Characteristics Distinguish Earth as an Abode of Life?	394	(1)
Avoiding Regions of Cosmic Violence	395	(1)
The Need for Heavy Element	395	(1)
The Importance of Temperature	396	(2)
The Threat of Impacts	398	(2)
The Advantages of a Large Moon	400	(1)
A Conservative Approach: Defining the Habitable Zone Around a Star	401	(1)
Which Stars Offer Good Habitable Zones?	402	(5)
Can Multiple-Star Systems Provide Good Habitable Zones?	407	(2)
Discovering Extrasolar Planets: Six Promising Methods and One Highly Successful One	409	(8)
Summary	414	(1)
Key Terms	415	(1)
Questions	415	(1)
Further Reading	416	(1)
The Discovery of Extrasolar Planets	417	(24)
The Great Success: Using the Doppler Effect to Discover Extrasolar Planets	417	(2)
What Does the Doppler-Shift Method Reveal About Extrasolar Planets?	419	(5)
The Doppler-Shift Technique Reveals New Worlds	424	(3)
Why Do So Many Extrasolar Planets Orbit So Close to Their Stars?	427	(3)
The Importance of Jupiter's Distance	430	(1)
The Mystery of Eccentricity	431	(1)
How Many Stars Have Planets with the Right Conditions for Life?	432	(1)
Alternative Possibilities for Habitable Planets	433	(1)
How Many Habitable Planets Exist in the Milky Way?	434	(1)
How Can We Discover Earthlike Planets Around Other Stars?	435	(6)
Summary	439	(1)
Key Terms	439	(1)
Questions	439	(1)
Further Reading	440	(1)
Extraterrestrial Civilizations: How Many? How Distant?	441	(24)
How Many Civilizations Exist?	442	(1)
Estimating the Number of Civilizations by Using the Drake Equation	443	(8)
How Many Stars in the Milky Way?	443	(2)
How Many of These Are Suitable Stars?	445	(1)
How Many Suitable Planets Orbit Each Suitable Star?	446	(1)
What Fraction of Planets Actually Produce Life?	446	(1)
What Fraction of Planets with Life Develop an Intelligent Civilization?	446	(3)
How Long Do Intelligent Civilizations Last?	449	(2)
The Importance of Survival	451	(1)
How Eager are Civilizations for Contact?	452	(3)
How Widely Separated Are Civilizations in the Milky Way?	455	(3)
Further Advances of Intelligent Civilizations	458	(7)
Summary	462	(1)
Key Terms	463	(1)
Questions	463	(1)
Further Reading	464	(1)
Interstellar Spaceflight	465	(18)
Sending Information: Photons Versus Rockets	465	(2)
Interstellar Spaceships	467	(1)
Faster, Larger, More Expensive	468	(4)
When Time Slows Down	472	(3)
The Difficulties of High-Velocity Spaceflight	475	(2)
Automated Message Probes	477	(6)
Summary	480	(1)
Key Terms	481	(1)
Questions	481	(1)
Further Reading	482	(1)
Interstellar Radio and Television Messages	483	(28)
Where Should We Look?	485	(2)
What Frequencies Should We Search?	487	(4)
What Frequency Bandwidth and Total Frequency Range to Examine?	491	(3)
How Can We Recognize Another Civilization?	494	(3)
The Present State of Radio Searches for Other Civilizations	497	(3)
What Messages Could We Send or Expect to Receive?	500	(5)
A Crucial Difference: Beamed Signals versus Eavesdropping	505	(1)
Do SETI Searches Limit Themselves Too Severely by Relying on Radio Waves?	506	(5)
Summary	507	(1)
Key Terms	508	(1)
Questions	508	(1)
Further Reading	509	(2)
Extraterrestrial Visitors To Earth?	511	(22)
What Evidence Do We Seek?	511	(1)
Four Representative UFO Sightings	512	(8)
An Experiment: Meteors and Falling Rockets	513	(3)
The Lubbock Lights	516	(2)
Venus in Georgia	518	(1)
Landing in Socorro	518	(2)
Difficulties in Verifying the Spacecraft Hypothesis	520	(1)
Classification of UFO Reports	520	(2)
Arguments for the Spacecraft Hypothesis	522	(2)
Some Conclusions About UFOs	524	(1)
What About a Government Conspiracy?	524	(2)
Von Daniken: Charlatan of the Gods?	526	(7)
Summary	531	(1)
Key Terms	531	(1)
Questions	532	(1)
Further Reading	532	(1)
Where Is Everybody?	533	(15)
We May Be Alone, or Nearly So	534	(5)
Advanced Civilizations May Have Little Interest in Communication	539	(2)
We Are Still a Primitive Civilization	541	(2)
Epilogue: The Search Continues	543	(4)
Further Reading	544	(3)
Some Internet Web Sites Relevant to the Search for Life in the Universe	547	(1)
Appendix	548	(3)
Glossary	551	(14)
Figure Credits	565	(2)
Index	567