Post by uforn on Jul 17, 2011 1:40:29 GMT 1
The search for extraterrestrial life
By Seth Stutman
BOULDER, Color. (Mass Appeal) - He's one of the most respected names in astrophysics, science, education and astronomy and he's an author of books for children and adults. Jeffrey Bennett is the author of the award-winning book, BEYOND UFOS: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Its Astonishing Implications for Our Future and today he sheds some light on his discoveries.
What have we accomplished in our quest to find extraterrestrial life in the universe? Do we have the ability and the technology to locate life on another planet? What would we do if we found life existed on another planet? Are we going to destroy ourselves before we make this discovery? All of these questions and more are discussed by astrophysicist and award-winning writer Jeffrey Bennett in this new edition of the award-winning book, BEYOND UFOS: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Its Astonishing Implications for Our Future (Princeton).
Bennett goes beyond the movies, television shows, and fiction tales and takes readers into the real world of astrobiology and its startling discoveries. A brilliant world of science, biology, astronomy and geology, this fascinating science has opened our minds and worlds to what has only been seen in science-fiction movies. Bennett reveals some of the most recent developments in extrasolar research and other ongoing explorations, and discusses how they might further our search for alien life.
Bennett explains that while we do not yet have any solid evidence of life or civilizations beyond Earth, current science makes it seem likely that life is widespread. In that case, if life develops as it has on Earth and civilizations can avoid self-destruction, then our galaxy could be home to thousands of other civilizations. Of course, this does not necessarily mean we are being visited by aliens, and Bennett explains why he remains skeptical of the majority of reported UFO sightings, even while believing other civilizations to be likely. Based on the distance that another civilization must travel to get here and a reasonable estimate of the average time span between the development of new civilizations, anyone who is visiting us must be far, far beyond us technologically.
In Beyond UFOs, Bennett presents how our adolescent society is at a turning point. Our future and the future of these enormous discoveries lie in our ability to grow up as a civilization without destroying ourselves. We have to find an answer to such problems as global warming, nuclear proliferation, war and terrorism.
Source:
www.wwlp.com/dpp/mass_appeal/leisure/the-search-for-extraterrestrial-life-