Planetary dreams

by Shapiro, Robert

Explores the question whether it is possible that there is life anywhere else in the universe or whether life is something special that could only happen on earth. Introduces the latest theories about how life started on earth and the latest findings about what other places in the universe might be able to support life. Planetary Dreams: The Quest To Discover Life Beyond Earth. "The dreams that I write of are not the usual ones, the images that come up in our minds involuntarily during certain stages of sleep, but rather the hopes and expectations that we have lavished upon other worlds around us."--The Preface. The surprisingly long history of debate over extraterrestrial life is full of marvelous visions of what life out there might be like, as well as remarkable stories of alleged sightings and heated disputes about the probability that life might actually have arisen more than once.^ In Planetary Dreams, acclaimed author Robert Shapiro explores this rich history of dreams and debat