Goldilocks and the Water Bears: The Search for Life in the Universe (Paperback)

Louisa Preston (author)

£9.99

Paperback 288 Pages
Published: 25/01/2018

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Synopsis

'Highly recommended' Financial Times Today we know of only a single planet that hosts life: the Earth. But across a Universe of at least 100 billion possibly habitable worlds, surely our planet isn't the only one which, like the porridge Goldilocks sought, is just right for life? Astrobiologists search the galaxy for conditions that are suitable for life to exist, focusing on similar worlds located at the perfect distance from their Sun, within the aptly named 'Goldilocks Zone'. Such a place might have liquid water on its surface, and may therefore support a thriving biosphere. What might life look like on other worlds? It is possible to make best-guesses using facts rooted in science, and by studying 'extremophiles' - organisms such as the near-indestructible water bears, which can survive in the harshest conditions that Earth, and even space, can offer. Goldilocks and the Water Bears is a tale of the origins and evolution of life, and the quest to find it on other planets, on moons, in other galaxies, and throughout the Universe.

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
ISBN: 9781472920119
Number of pages: 288
Weight: 208 g
Dimensions: 198 x 129 mm

MEDIA REVIEWS

An expert romp through the science of extraterrestrial life. -- Adam Rutherford, scientist, writer and presenter of BBC Radio 4's Inside Out
HIghly recommended ... * Financial Times *
Louisa is that rare breed - a brilliant academic who can effortlessly communicate her subject with clarity, authority and warmth to us all. A fascinating overview of what is simply the most profound and exciting story in science. -- Dallas Campbell, science broadcaster and television presenter
Extremely interesting ... I would strongly advise you to run off and buy a copy. * The Biologist *
Just the right book to expertly guide you through the scientific quest to answer the ultimate question; are we alone in the University? -- Lucie Green, space scientist, television presenter and author of 15 Million Degrees
Our species has gone from fantasising about life on other worlds to actively looking for it - this book provides great background on clues scientists are using, and what makes the chase so exciting. -- Bobak Ferdowsi, Flight Director, Mars Science Laboratory