Extraterrestrials: A Field Guide for Earthlings

by Terence Dickinson, Adolf Schaller

What will they look like? That is the question addressed in this wonderfully illustrated book for "earthlings" who want to explore beyond the cardboard aliens of television science fiction to find out what science says about our cosmic cousins from other planet--if they exist. Author Terence Dickinson, an acclaimed astronomy writer, examines t! he picture we have absorbed from TV and movies about creatures from other planets, from the friendly visitor in E.T. to the savage creature in Alien and the gaggle of other-worldly folk from Star Trek and its clones. Dickinson then explains how the variety of environments in the universe could give rise to creature far more different from us than anything Hollywood's invented. Through the talents of illustrator Adolf Schaller, one of the chief artists and Emmy-award winner from Carl Sagan's Cosmos television series, alien worlds come alive with plants, insects and animals never dreamed of before. Yet, Schaller's vision is based on sound assumptions about the gravity of each hypothetical planet, the type of star that it orbits and other factors that bring plausible alien environments to life. The book winds up with a look at "life as we don't know it," featuring creatures and entities that might have evolved from something other that carbon-based biology, the foundation of ! Earth life. A unique blend of science and imagination, Extraterrestrials will compel anyone who has ever thought about what-and who-might be out there.

Genres: Science Fiction

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Terence Dickinson is a prolific science writer specializing in astronomy. More than one million copies of his 14 books are in print in five languages. His best-known book, NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe, is widely regarded as the essential guidebook for beginning stargazers. NightWatch, first published in 1983, now has over 600,000 copies in print, making it the top-selling stargazing guide in the world during the past 20 years. Each new edition has outsold the previous one because of extensive revisions and the addition of new material.

Reviews

[movedbyair · Rating 3 out of 5]

5/10
Only like, 30% speculative fiction which could be pretty disappointing for some, and lots of the other tidbits are common knowledge now. Turns out our cultural relationship with space moves fast! However, I love these textbook-y illustrations and the theoretical bits about life as we don't know it are really neat. Loved the section about extraterrestrials on gas giants and I think it deserved way more attention.

[Darryl Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought it would’ve been better

[Paul Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

An attempt to depict what realistic aliens would look like. Discusses how different worlds (climates, gravity, light, atmosphere, etc.) would affect creature's gait, appearance, and so forth. It even has discussions of other senses, such as using microwaves instead of our visible spectrum.

[Amun1327 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. You may find it in the kids section but the ideas are thought provoking no matter the age.