Astrobiology: The Search for Alien Life: The Illustrated Edition

by Andrew May

Extraterrestrial life is a common theme in science fiction, but is it a serious prospect in the real world? Astrobiology is the emerging field of science that seeks to answer this question.

The possibility of life elsewhere in the cosmos is one of the most profound subjects that human beings can ponder. Astrophysicist Andrew May gives an expert overview of our current state of knowledge, looking at how life started on Earth, the tell-tale 'signatures' it produces, and how such signatures might be detected elsewhere in the Solar System or on the many 'exoplanets' now being discovered by the Kepler and TESS missions.

Along the way the book addresses key questions such as the riddle of Fermi's paradox ('Where is everybody?') and the crucial role of DNA and water – they're essential to 'life as we know it', but is the same true of alien life? And the really big question: when we eventually find extraterrestrials, will they be friendly or hostile?

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Astronomy, Biology, Physics, Space, Education

320 pages, Hardcover

Published February 2, 2023

About the author

Andrew May is a former scientist with an MA from Cambridge University and a PhD in Astrophysics from Manchester University. After a thirty year career spanning the academic, government and private sectors, he has now settled in the South-West of England where he works as a freelance writer and consultant on subjects as diverse as defence technology, history, physics, Forteana and New Age beliefs.

Reviews

[Austra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, yes! Šī bija perfekta grāmata. Biju lasījusi jau citu šī autora darbu - Cosmic Impact: Understanding the Threat to Earth from Asteroids and Comets, tāpēc zināju, ko gaidīt - zinātnisku, bet bez vienādojumiem (ja tādi ir, autors par tiem atvainojas jau pirms tam), īpaši priekš čaiņikiem + ar vieglu humoru.

Šī pamatā ir par mūžīgo jautājumu - “Kur tad visi ir?” Jā, nu kad tu, cilvēks, dzīvo ne tikai savas galaktikas nomalē, bet, iespējams, visa Visuma nomalē, tad var rasties sajūta, ka pārējie sen ir aizlaiduši tusēt kādā krutākā vietā, tuvāk melnajam caurumam, viņiem visiem ir smalkāki braucamie (lidojamie), smukākas sievas (varbūt ar vairāk rokām) un lielākas mājas. Bet nē, šis nav stāsts par Lemūrijām (bet tie, kam patīk teorijas, var papētīt 'Oumuamua jautājumu), bet jauki sakārtots un detalizēts izklāsts par dzīvību uz citām planētām - kādi ir tās eksistences priekšnosacījumi, kur to varētu atrast, kā to meklēt, kādas ir pazīmes, ko mēs spējam uzķert un iztulkot, nedaudz par šo meklējumu vēsturi un nākotni. Ļoti, ļoti saistoši un izzinoši. Pilnībā izbaudīju un esmu pieņēmusies viedumā. Pat ja es pati tā saku.

[Osore Misanthrope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Тема која ме чека више од једне деценије отпочиње коинциденцијама које кулминирају сазнањем о мастеру астробиологије отвореном ове године. Овај књижуљак узет је у сврху провере контролне табле, да ли су основне поставке на месту у мом кранијуму. Суштински биолошка дисциплина, али беспомоћна без астрономије и астрофизике, првенствено захтева познавање постанка живота, еволуције и микробиологије екстремофила; то значи да један биолог може лако да прескочи и доскочи многим темама, али и да доучи астрономски корпус (обрнуто важи за астрономе). Трећи стожер је филозофски оквир. Чини се да Србија има сва три потпорна стуба, а на једног од њих се позивају у овој књизи.

Кредибилност астробиологије може довести у питање само незналица. Њен предмет проучавања није ванземаљац per se јер се за њим још увек трага, али испитивање земаљског живота у (симулираним) космичким условима је итекако могуће и актуелно. Опсервација хемолитотрофних психрофилних/криофилних прокариота може нам дати идеју о бићима која би могла постојати у течном глобалном океану Јупитеровог сателита Европе, на пример. Укрштање ових података са прикупљеним биопотписима може спекулативну фикцију приближити фактима.

Како је живо биће само специфичан вид организовања материје, нема јединствене дефиниције живота (NASA се држи оне о самоодрживом хемијском систему способном за дарвиновску еволуцију). Сигурно је да живи систем супервенира на физичко-хемијским законима и условима који га детерминишу. Заснивање живота не на угљенику, већ на силицијуму, би исто тако зависило од тамошњих прилика. За сада је најсигурније трагати за земаљским животом на основу сличности. Песимистичан одговор на Фермијев парадокс полази управо од контингентних и стохастичких процеса постанка и еволуције живота чије понављање се чини мало вероватним (чак ни данас на Земљи не владају ни приближно исти услови од оних у време настанка првих ћелија).

Зашто SETI ослушкује на фреквенцији од 1420 МHz (λ=21cm)? Зато што је то фреквенција спектралне линије која потиче од емисионог спектра водоника, маркера звезда. Ако високотехнолошки ванземаљци постоје, онда знају да пратимо дату фреквенцију, због чега би нам послали сигнал управо на 1420 МHz. Како је опсервација свемира великим делом историјска – због времена које је фотонима потребно да пређу одређени пут, буквално гледамо у прошлост – да ли би такав сигнал могао да потекне од бића која су се у међувремену уништила (имајући у виду наше аутодеструктивне тенденције)?

Оно што ме опседа јесте зјап амбиса, обезљуђеност свемира, бесмисао – једна атеистичка, ахумана, апсурдистичка, меланколошка визија.

Extraterrestrial: Aurelia (docu-fiction; throwback to my teens)

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Astrobiology: The Search for Life Elsewhere in the Universe, by Andrew May, is an interesting book about astrobiology and humankind's quest for life outside of our own planet Earth. This is broken into categories by timeline - ie. the history of how humans looked for and considered alien life. Of course, at the time of this writing alien life has yet to be discovered in any form, although some interesting events, like the Martian meteor containing possible bacterial fossils, Wow signal, and other theoretical moments are described in this book. May has looked at this history, and these moments, from the lens of someone who very much believes alien life must exist somewhere, but also has a strong grounding in the science and theory, as well as a grasp on how difficult making such determinations can be.

Life on another planet might be difficult to detect for a number of reasons. Although we understand the principles of chemistry and physics on Earth quite well, it still remains to be seen if Earth-like life, with a DNA structure, is the only way life can develop. The classic "Are We Alone?", question is age-old, but we still have yet to find out if we are, and even if we would be able to determine what life looked like elsewhere. Microbial life as we know it may not look like or function as we know it, and may have developed totally different ways to ingest and expel energy for survival and replication. May discusses all of these difficulties deftly, while still maintaining a positive and upbeat attitude about the concept as a whole.

The least plausible, although most interesting speculative moments are when May talks about SETI, and the search of intelligent life. These are the moments where the book begins to feel a tad more speculative then necessary, although this may be expected from a quick science read for the lay-reader. May clearly is wistful about life elsewhere, and I sure am too. Even so, these chapters feel the most unscientific, and come across a tad "out there" for this reader. When one actually reads about SETI, and the specific wavelength they are targeting, and the rationale behind it, and gives it some serious thought, one can see some of the anthropocentric flaws in the reasoning. Even so, as a science fiction fan, these sections made for some fun reading.

All in all, I really enjoyed my time with this book and it was a page turner. I am infinitely fascinated by space exploration and the search for life outside of Earth, and even the speculative ideas of space travel, planetary colonization and so forth. This book scratched that itch for me to a high degree. Some of the more speculative ideas, and the way in which they were presented, even so, felt slightly unrealistic for me, and this detracted from the book having a four star rating or higher. No matter. If you are a fan of the concept of astrobiology and are looking for a good introductory style book, then look no further. The slightly less realistic aspects of this book are still fun to read. Fans of science fiction would probably greatly enjoy this read as well. Give it a shot if any of the above sounds appealing, I certainly do not regret it.

[Marie Labrousse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sujet passionnant malgré les quelques petites tendances de l'auteur à la spéculation hasardeuse - assez pour faire sourciller, pas assez pour décrédibiliser son propos.

J'en lis pas mal sur l'astronomie mais je suis plus à la traîne en biologie, aussi ai-je appris pas mal de choses.

[Burak Kircadag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yaklaşık 60 yıllık bir geçmişi olan "taze" bilim dalı Astrobiyoloji bence gelişmeye ve daha fazla kitlenin ilgi odağı olmaya aday...Konuyla ilgili olarak okuduğum bu ilk kitap akıcılığı ve basit anlatımıyla herkesin rahatlıkla anlayabileceği içerikte....

[GONZA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very clear book that takes a stand and I'm glad it's mine too.
You are not overwhelmed by formulas of physics and cosmology and the author also keeps to a minimum the story of astrobiology, a subject that usually weighs down mortally any type of essay regardless of what it tells.
I personally recommend it.

Libro molto molto chiaro, che ci tiene a prendere una posizione oltretutto e sono contenta che sia anche la mia.
Non si viene sommersi da formule di fisica e cosmologia e l'autore tiene anche al minimo la storiografia sull'astrobiologia, argomento che di solito appesantisce mortalmente qualsiasi tipo di saggio a prescindere da cosa racconti.
Personalmente lo consiglio.

[grace saint · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did I really absorb most of this book? No
Will I revisit it when I'm further involved with the project that relates to this book? Yes

[তৌহিদুর রহমান]

Books have many significant impacts on human beings. But if each and every book convinces you, then you are just a supporting bookworm. You should also believe in yourself.

I enjoy these alien-oriented books, but they can’t convince me at all. After all, it’s a good book with a lot of science. Andrew May is my favourite writer. He is a man of a combination of science and fantasy. Not bad! So, what about religions? Father Jose Funes, director of the Vatican observatory, once (in 2015) said, “if there was intelligent life on another planet, I don’t see that as a contradiction with the Christian faith.” I don’t think that other religions from the single, but common origin are so much different from this view. Technically case is dismissed, at least for a moment.

[Jiachen Guo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Science, sci-fi, literature & history all combined into one book :)

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Astrobiology" by Andrew May is an engaging and comprehensive exploration of the fascinating field of astrobiology, a discipline that seeks to understand the origin, evolution, and potential for life in the universe. May, an accomplished science writer and editor, takes readers on a captivating journey through the cosmos, examining the scientific advancements, theories, and discoveries that have shaped our understanding of life beyond Earth.

The book begins with a thought-provoking introduction that delves into the fundamental question of whether life exists elsewhere in the universe. May skillfully sets the stage, discussing the historical context of astrobiology and the search for extraterrestrial life, from the ancient Greeks to modern-day scientific endeavours. This establishes a strong foundation for readers, regardless of their prior knowledge of the subject.

One of the greatest strengths of "Astrobiology" is the way May effortlessly weaves together various scientific disciplines, providing readers with a holistic perspective on the subject. The book seamlessly integrates concepts from astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, and physics, allowing readers to grasp the interdisciplinary nature of astrobiology. May's ability to distill complex scientific ideas into accessible prose is commendable, making the book accessible to both science enthusiasts and those new to the subject.

Throughout the book, May presents a wealth of scientific evidence and case studies that support the existence of life beyond Earth. He discusses the characteristics of habitable environments, exploring the conditions necessary for life to emerge and thrive. The author draws on examples from our own solar system, such as Mars and Europa, highlighting the potential for microbial life in these seemingly inhospitable environments. He also explores the possibility of habitable exoplanets and the ongoing efforts to detect signs of life in the universe.

What sets "Astrobiology" apart is the author's balanced approach to the subject matter. May acknowledges the speculative nature of astrobiology while grounding it in scientific rigor. He explores both the optimistic and skeptical perspectives, presenting various hypotheses and theories without favouring one over the other. This approach allows readers to form their own opinions while appreciating the complexity of the questions at hand.

The book's organization is logical and intuitive, guiding readers through the different aspects of astrobiology in a coherent manner. Each chapter focuses on a specific topic, such as the origin of life, extremophiles, the search for biosignatures, and the possibilities of intelligent life. May's writing style is engaging and accessible, striking a balance between scientific accuracy and readability. Complex scientific concepts are explained in a way that is easy to understand, without sacrificing the depth of the subject matter.

Furthermore, "Astrobiology" is enriched with stunning illustrations, diagrams, and photographs that enhance the reading experience. These visual aids help clarify complex concepts and provide a visual representation of the wonders of the universe. The inclusion of these visuals is a testament to the author's commitment to ensuring that readers can fully appreciate the beauty and complexity of the subject matter.

One potential drawback of the book is its limited coverage of recent developments in the field of astrobiology. However, given Andrew May's expertise and experience as a science writer, it is reasonable to assume that the book provides a solid foundation in astrobiology, even if it may not include the very latest advancements.

In conclusion, "Astrobiology" by Andrew May is an outstanding introduction to the captivating field of astrobiology. May's ability to blend scientific accuracy with engaging storytelling makes the book accessible to a wide range of readers. It serves as an excellent resource for anyone interested in the search for life beyond Earth, providing a balanced overview of the subject and encouraging readers to ponder the profound questions that lie at the intersection of science, philosophy, and our place in the universe.

[Celia Sánchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extra-terrestrial life is a common theme in science fiction. But is it a serious prospect in the real world? ‘Astrobiology’ is the title of Andrew May’s latest book addressing just such a question, giving his expert overview of our current state of knowledge, looking at how life started on Earth, the tell-tale ‘signatures’ it produces, and how such signatures might be detected elsewhere in the Solar System or on the many ‘exoplanets’ now being discovered by the Kepler and TESS missions. Then there’s the really big question: when we eventually find extra-terrestrials, will they be friendly or hostile?Well written and not at all heavy, it moves along at a good pace with a dab of humor from time to time.There are many references for further reading for those who wish to delve deeper into this topic but for the ordinary layman like myself it is perfect.

An interesting little book which gives a straightforward insight into this complex subject.....
Recommended.

[Renee King · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, actually.

Heavy on novelty discussion of extraterrestrial sci-fi type stuff, but really good chapter on exoplanets.
Nice refresher if you need a brush up on some physics.
Would have liked a little more discussion on the chemistry of potentially existent extremophiles.
Definitely current w/r/t NASA and ESA missions.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very quick and easy read, but a little disappointing in its superficiality. The author spent rather too much time on the prospects for contact with intelligent ETs over detection of biosignatures (which he did acknowledge was much more likely).

[Yates Buckley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good general introduction to astrobiology. Slightly disappointing in its generality, I wish it went a bit more in depth or at least described the important problems in this field more clearly.

[Richard Cubitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Succinct, interesting. A very goof introduction to the subject.

[Serhat Kaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miller-Urey deneyinin amacı yaşamı değil, yaşamın kimyasal yapıtaşlarını oluşturmaktı. Canlı hücrelerin ana bileşenlerini -aminoasitler- üreterek de, bu bağlamda yankı uyandıran bir başarı elde edildi. Aminoasitlerin ilki, iki gün içerisinde, bir düzine fazlası da ilk haftanın sonunda tespit edildi. Sonunda deney, Yerküre'deki canlılıkta yaygın olarak bulunan yirmi aminoasit mahsulü verdi.
Orijinal Miller-Urey deneyi, Yerküre'deki yaşam için gerekli tüm aminoasitleri üretse de diğer asıl bileşenden eser yoktu: Yani DNA'nın yapıtaşlarını oluşturan dört nükleotit baz. Bu eksikliğin giderilmesi epey bir zaman alacaktı fakat sonunda gerçekleşti. DNA nükleotit bazları sentezlendi, örnekse 2017'de yeniden yapılan Miller-Urey deneyinde karışıma, incelikli yeni bir içerik eklendi: "asteroit çarpma etkisi kaynaklı şok dalgalarından kaynaklanan plazmaların benzerini elde etmek için güçlü lazer deşarjları".
Biraz zoraki gelebilir çünkü asteroit çarpışmaları bugünlerde çok nadir görülüyor fakat bu durum 4 milyar yıl önce farklıydı. Gezegenlerin şekil alışı henüz tamamlanmıştı ve Güneş Sistemi geride kalan devasa kaya parçalarıyla tıka basa doluydu. Sonuç olarak, çarpışma olaylarının oranı bugüne nazaran daha yüksekti. Bu çarpışmaların, ilk biyokimyasal reaksiyonların başlangıcında bir rol oynadıklarını düşünmek mantıksız değil.

[qivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and interesting read that provides enough detail to actually be informative, while still being easy for the layman to read. The illustrations and pictures throughout this book were engaging and made the reading experience very enjoyable. I do think, however, that May spent a little too much time focusing on certain topics as opposed to others given the subject of the book. i.e. I understand that the possibility of intelligent aliens with spaceships and Dyson spheres are perhaps more interesting than microorganisms living on Mars, but I feel that dedicating so much space to exploring the former while giving the latter only a chapter or two isn't a particularly fair, or realistic, division of Astrobiology. I also think it's a little misleading to make it seem as though it really only is a matter of time until we confirm there's life elsewhere in the universe considering that at this point, we really don't know. This isn't to say that the chance is 50/50, only that until there is definitive evidence of life elsewhere in the universe that can't be explained by any other, more plausible explanations, the only honest, scientific answer to the question of alien life is crossing your arms and saying, "I don't know."

[Kamila Jast · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an avid reader of books on Astrobiology i really enjoyed this well written book summarising to date scientific knowledge and discoveries of closest earth like habitats and some exoplanets further away. The book is also making it very clear that human biology is a constraint making humans predestined to life on earth, maybe after some biological adjustments and with technological support also to life on Mars, but not predestined to multiplanetary life across the galaxy. So to overcome this barrier, what’s inevitable must happen; our biology needs to merge with technology and AI to make traversing the vast expanses of universe possible. It’s a long way away but seems likely and by many accounts somehow feasible. Reads very well.

[Ed Bernard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Astrobiology? How can there even BE astrobiology? There’s no life elsewhere in the universe, at least as far as we know. And yet, that’s a reasonable place to start, because it forces us to define what we mean by life (hint — a reproducing species subject to Darwinian evolution), then how we might go about finding it. That’s what this book is basically about, though it suffers a bit from delving into topics that are related to the field but not directly relevant in it (for example, how we find exoplanets). Those adjacent subjects don’t really hurt the reading experience, but they seem like padding in this book. Personally, I find the topic fascinating and would read anything about it, but it’s a bit flabby. Fascinating stuff, though.

Grade: B

[Benjamin Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read that only took a few nights: the author covers about everything you'd want to know about the search for life in the universe, albeit at a very surface level. If you really want to go deep on this subject, I'd recommend checking out 'Under a Crimson Sun' which focuses on red dwarves. The main new info I got from this book was an understanding of some future missions to Venus and various moons later this decade (assuming they come to fruition).

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting little book - covers in general terms the ways scientists are searching for life outside of Earth both 'locally' in our own solar system and throughout the galaxy.

It would have been nice to have a little more detail of the science side but I suspect that could quickly devolve into something I wouldn't understand.

It is an easy read and includes references for further research if so inclined.

[Qukatheg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating reading about what the possible signs for life on other planets are, and various methods for detecting them. Really exciting!

Read my complete review Here.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good read. I know people call this a "reference" or "coffee table" book, but this was really fun to read from cover to cover. Cool illustrations, some witty humor, and easy to read text that even I could understand and wasn't filled with science jargon that idiots like me couldn't understand. Fun read!

[Kaitlyn Warden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, informational, and written for laypeople (thank you Dr. May we non-physicists say in unison). This was written mid-2019 (I bought it mid-2020 but just got around to reading it lol). There have been a lot of developments since then. I look forward to reading more updated books on the topic

[Ian McGaffey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an good primer to the search for extra terrestrial life. There wasn't a whole lot of new information for me in this book. I have been reading the series of which this book is a part and been quite enjoying the ride. This will be a valuable addition to other readers I'm sure

[Aleina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Something different for me. Some concepts went above me, but as someone just casually reading there’s some interesting bits. I love some of the pictures and I enjoy that there’s a good bit of references for reading further into certain areas.

[mateoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

super interesante y lo suficientemente fácil de entender para que alguien (yo) que no sabe nada de física se entere. ojalá no tuviera que estudiar tres carreras para poder dedicarme a buscar vida fuera de la tierra....

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read - more fun than I was expecting. Also, easy to read.

[Ayah42 · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good book however i lost interest midway throughout. But that’s probably just me because my scientific knowledge doesn’t go that far.

[Ewelina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*