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Binding: HardcoverDewey Decimal Number: 576.839 EAN: 9780387987019 Edition: 1 ISBN: 0387987010 Label: Springer Manufacturer: Springer Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 368 Publication Date: January 14, 2000 Publisher: Springer Studio: Springer Accessories:
Editorial Review: Amazon.com Review: "Do you feel lucky? Well do ya?" asked Dirty Harry. Paleontologist Peter Ward and astronomer Donald Brownlee think all of us should feel lucky. Their rare Earth hypothesis predicts that while simple, microbial life will be very widespread in the universe, complex animal or plant life will be extremely rare. Ward and Brownlee admit that "It is very difficult to do statistics with an N of 1. But in our defense, we have staked out a position rarely articulated but increasingly accepted by many astrobiologists." Their new science is the field of biology ratcheted up to encompass not just life on Earth but also life beyond Earth. It forces us to reconsider the life of our planet as but a single example of how life might work, rather than as the only example. The revolution in astrobiology during the 1990s was twofold. First, scientists grew to appreciate how incredibly robust microbial life can be, found in the superheated water of deep-sea vents, pools of acid, or even within the crust of the Earth itself. The chance of finding such simple life on other bodies in our solar system has never seemed more realistic. But second, scientists have begun to appreciate how many unusual factors have cooperated to make Earth a congenial home for animal life: Jupiter's stable orbit, the presence of the Moon, plate tectonics, just the right amount of water, the right position in the right sort of galaxy. Ward and Brownlee make a convincing if depressing case for their hypothesis, undermining the principle of mediocrity (or, "Earth isn't all that special") that has ruled astronomy since Copernicus. --Mary Ellen Curtin Product Description: What is the possibility of complex life existing beyond our planet? What determines whether complex life will arise on a planet? How frequent is life in the Universe? In this exciting new book, distinguished paleontologist Peter D. Ward and noted astronomer Donald Brownlee team up to give us a fascinating synthesis of what's now known about the rise of life on Earth and how it sheds light on possibilities for organic life forms elsewhere in the Universe. Life, Ward and Brownlee assert, is paradoxically both very common and almost nowhere. The conditions that foster the beginnings of life in our galaxy are plentiful. But contrary to the usual assumption that if alien life exists, it's bound to be intelligent, the authors contend that the kind of complex life we find on Earth is unlikely to exist anywhere else; indeed it is probably unique to our planet. With broad expertise and wonderful descriptive imagery, the authors give us a compelling argument, a splendid introduction to the emerging field of astrobiology, and a lively discussion of the remarkable findings that are being generated by new research. We learn not only about the extraordinary creatures living in conditions once though inimical to life and the latest evidence of early life on Earth, but also about the discoveries of extrasolar planets, the parts Jupiter and the Moon have played in our survival, and even the crucial role of continental drift in our existence. Insightful, well-written, and at the cutting edge of modern scientific investigation, Rare Earth should interest anyone who wants to know about life elsewhere and gain a fresh perspective on life at home which, if the authors are right, is even more precious than we may ever have imagined. Average Rating:
 Rating: - Who knows?While this book is well written and very informative, what they authors have to say could be said in a dozen pages. I beleive thier conclusions are sound. Rating:  - Awesome in its implications, even more awesome if the authors are correct"Rare Earth" examines the possibility that our planet Earth, far from being a common type of planet around an average star, is instead a very great rarity in numerous ways. The authors conclude that various traits of our planet, Solar System, and position in the Galaxy, are uncommonly fortunate for the development of complex life forms. While the authors believe that there are no doubt other planets somewhere where this fortunate confluence has also occurred, they conclude that multi-cellular life ... Read More Rating: - Even rarer insightThe authors, Ward and Brownlee, present compelling evidence that Earth is truly a rare planet. Too much use of the word - evolution, perhaps a satisfactory substitute would be adaptation or acclimatization. Good arguments, in mathematical terms, for the existence of complex life on earth alone. Rating: - DetailedFor a layman's book this is fairly dense which is a good thing. I agree mostly with the arguments presented but the jury's still out on tidally locked planets located in the habitable zones of their stars. The authors' contend that the tidal locking excludes any evolution of complex metazoans but the Gliese 581 system may present more definitive answers in the coming decades. To me that's the most dynamic issue raised by this book and I'm very excited about the outcome. For instance: Can any of these ... Read More Rating: - Tectonic plates balance Greenhouse gasesEarth is the only planet with tectonic plates. Earth possesses water, the universal solvent and indispensable for life. Earth's mountains occur in chains. The giant mountains are Mars were created by volcanos. There is no equivalent to the Rockies, the Andes, the Himalyas, or the score of linear mountain chains. The process, the movement of planetary crust across the surface of the planet, is found in our solar system only on Earth. Tectonic plates provide a wide range of biodiversity. ... Read More |
