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Beyond UFOs: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Its Astonishing Implications for Our Future
The quest for extraterrestrial life doesn't happen only in science fiction. This book describes the startling discoveries being made in the very real science of astrobiology, an intriguing new field that blends astronomy, biology, and geology to explore the possibility of life on other planets. Jeffrey Bennett takes readers beyond UFOs to discuss some of the tantalizing questions astrobiologists grapple with every day: What is life and how does it begin? What makes a planet or moon habitable? Is there life on Mars or elsewhere in the solar system? How can life be recognized on distant worlds? Is it likely to be microbial, more biologically complex--or even intelligent? What would such a discovery mean for life here on Earth?
Come along on this scientific adventure and learn the astonishing implications of discoveries made in this field for the future of the human race. Bennett, who believes that "science is a way of helping people come to agreement," explains how the search for extraterrestrial life can help bridge the divide that sometimes exists between science and religion, defuse public rancor over the teaching of evolution, and quiet the debate over global warming. He likens humanity today to a troubled adolescent teetering on the edge between self-destruction and a future of virtually limitless possibilities. Beyond UFOs shows why the very quest to find alien life can help us to grow up as a species and chart a course for the stars.
232 pages, Hardcover
First published February 4, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 24, 2008
All the big questions answered as well as we can right now answer them. There are an almost uncountable number of suns in our own Milky Way, and there seems to be many millions of Milky Ways. Almost unimaginable, the size of this universe. If this book doesn't make your big problems seem insignificant, nothing will. Our attempts to explain all of this is like a colony of worker ants trying to contemplate Beethoven. Well written, eminently readable. The author is a scientist as well as a teacher, and a good one.
December 22, 2014
This was much different than I had imagined it would be, and I really enjoyed it. But here is a qualifier; I am fascinated with space and the search for extraterrestrial life.
Jeffrey Bennett is a good writer. I am certain this cannot be said of many astrobiologists or physicists. His writing style makes this an easy read. As with any good non-fiction book I learned more than I expected to. Jeffrey does a great job of explaining what it means to answer the question "are we alone?" To answer that question we must determine not only how to define life, but also how life begins. It all comes down to identifying planets that have the potential to host life.
Like most novice space enthusiasts I want to know the answers without the discipline of years of study. Of course, yes, I know this is silly; that it takes years of study to truly understand what we seek. Jeffrey Bennett does a great job of providing a window into what he has learned; what it truly means to be on a quest to answer what is perhaps our most difficult question as a human race.
If you want to go beyond the stereotypical UFO hunter - learn what it means to answer the question "are we alone" - then I recommend you start with this book. You may not get the answers you want, or maybe you will, but what you do get is what it means to be searching for those answers.
Great book.
Jeffrey Bennett is a good writer. I am certain this cannot be said of many astrobiologists or physicists. His writing style makes this an easy read. As with any good non-fiction book I learned more than I expected to. Jeffrey does a great job of explaining what it means to answer the question "are we alone?" To answer that question we must determine not only how to define life, but also how life begins. It all comes down to identifying planets that have the potential to host life.
Like most novice space enthusiasts I want to know the answers without the discipline of years of study. Of course, yes, I know this is silly; that it takes years of study to truly understand what we seek. Jeffrey Bennett does a great job of providing a window into what he has learned; what it truly means to be on a quest to answer what is perhaps our most difficult question as a human race.
If you want to go beyond the stereotypical UFO hunter - learn what it means to answer the question "are we alone" - then I recommend you start with this book. You may not get the answers you want, or maybe you will, but what you do get is what it means to be searching for those answers.
Great book.
March 24, 2025
A great casual intro to astrobiology. It covers the physics, chemistry, earth science, and biology needed to understand how life may arise and how it may evolve to become intelligent. Strongly recommend.
June 26, 2025
WOW this was the best breakdown of astrobiology that i’ve ever experienced. this is NOT a book about aliens. it’s a book that answers basic questions like ‘why is there life on earth’ and ‘what does a planet need to be a habitat for life.’ i’m obssessed tbh get nasa on the phone for me.
August 11, 2014
The universe is a pretty big place. If it's just us, seems like an awful waste of space. — Carl Sagan, Contact.
The book is extremely well-written. It takes the reader through a journey to understand where we have come from, what we have achieved and where we might be headed. It describes what the ancient Greeks thought of the question: Are we alone? Then it shows us how we have polished our understanding of the cosmos throughout centuries—with the help of great minds.
The book does not talk about UFOs (such as what we would need to build UFOs, can we build UFOs and etc.) per se, but the author touches upon various other significant questions such as what is life, the origin of life etc. which are all vastly important in understanding if we have galactic neighbors in this enormous ocean of stars and planets. The first chapter—Worlds beyond Imagination—opens the reader's eye by showing how enormously big the universe is. Imagine this: there are probably as many stars in this universe as there are grains of sands in all the beaches of this world combined together. It suddenly seems perverse to think that we are the only one, right? The next few chapters gives the readers an understanding of what we would need to determine to at least reasonably answer that question of if we are indeed alone. After having an understanding based on the data we have at the present moment, the author then analyzes how likely it is that we are part of a galactic civilization.
Speaking of data, the book was published in 2008, and in these four and a half years, the data we have has changed tremendously. For example, when the author was writing the book, I assume the spacecraft Kepler did not even launch. The author talks about how we are not sure if Earth-size planets are common or rare and Kepler would give us a sense of which hypothesis is correct. Based on the data of Kepler some astrophysicists now say that we might have at least 17 billion earth-size planets—only in our own galaxy.
As the subtitle suggests, this question does have astonishing implications for our future. As the author mentioned, we are still growing up as a civilization. To be able to communicate, we still need to grow more and only then can we join the group of adults that are perhaps so much advanced than us. It makes almost all of your problems seem so small when thinking about the vastness of the universe. And thinking that we might not be alone, makes all of our internal problems in this world seem so childish. The book is written easily for the laymen to understand and the author explains everything lucidly. In the middle it gets stagnant when the author talks about geology/ astro-geology, however the author picks up in the last few chapters.
Want to Read
March 4, 2008The quest for extraterrestrial life doesn't happen only in science fiction. This book describes the startling discoveries being made in the very real science of astrobiology, an intriguing new field that blends astronomy, biology, and geology to explore the possibility of life on other planets. Jeffrey Bennett takes readers beyond UFOs to discuss some of the tantalizing questions astrobiologists grapple with every day: What is life and how does it begin? What makes a planet or moon habitable? Is there life on Mars or elsewhere in the solar system? How can life be recognized on distant worlds? Is it likely to be microbial, more biologically complex--or even intelligent? What would such a discovery mean for life here on Earth?
Come along on this scientific adventure and learn the astonishing implications of discoveries made in this field for the future of the human race. Bennett, who believes that "science is a way of helping people come to agreement," explains how the search for extraterrestrial life can help bridge the divide that sometimes exists between science and religion, defuse public rancor over the teaching of evolution, and quiet the debate over global warming. He likens humanity today to a troubled adolescent teetering on the edge between self-destruction and a future of virtually limitless possibilities. Beyond UFOs shows why the very quest to find alien life can help us to grow up as a species and chart a course for the stars.
Come along on this scientific adventure and learn the astonishing implications of discoveries made in this field for the future of the human race. Bennett, who believes that "science is a way of helping people come to agreement," explains how the search for extraterrestrial life can help bridge the divide that sometimes exists between science and religion, defuse public rancor over the teaching of evolution, and quiet the debate over global warming. He likens humanity today to a troubled adolescent teetering on the edge between self-destruction and a future of virtually limitless possibilities. Beyond UFOs shows why the very quest to find alien life can help us to grow up as a species and chart a course for the stars.
August 21, 2008
This was the book they are having Freshman read here--since it's science related, I'm helping with a discussion forum, so I hope it's going to be interesting. I'm not that interested on life beyond this planet, except when it comes to Star Wars, and Harry Potter, and the Golden Compass, and The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe...
But alas...this ended up being pretty good really and I am now interested in stuff beyond the planet. It's a good read for the "process of discovery" in science, and it's also interesting. I feel like I learned some things about the way the solar system, galaxy, etc. function to the point people understand, but my knowledge was completely absent. It also seems like there will be good things to discuss with the freshman discussion group tomorrow, so looking forward to that. Was worried none of us would have actually finished the book, but at least I will have read it!
I gave it three stars rather than four or more stars, probably because it's nonfiction and it's not as quite as engaging as a novel with the juicy story of someone's life, but it's still good. :)
But alas...this ended up being pretty good really and I am now interested in stuff beyond the planet. It's a good read for the "process of discovery" in science, and it's also interesting. I feel like I learned some things about the way the solar system, galaxy, etc. function to the point people understand, but my knowledge was completely absent. It also seems like there will be good things to discuss with the freshman discussion group tomorrow, so looking forward to that. Was worried none of us would have actually finished the book, but at least I will have read it!
I gave it three stars rather than four or more stars, probably because it's nonfiction and it's not as quite as engaging as a novel with the juicy story of someone's life, but it's still good. :)
April 8, 2010
A sane, well-balanced and very readable book about extraterrestrial life written by a scientist who take a careful look at assumptions we make about aliens and science. He discuses the Intelligent Design viewpoint without snark but is a science promoter all the way. He has a sense of humor and adds personal experiences as he goes. Bennett reminds me a bit of Phil Plain (The Bad Astronomer).
He takes the time to go back along the history of the scientific method to discuss what science is, and how it works. He's refreshingly clear and concise. This is one of the best books I have ever read about UFOs, in part because it isn't really about UFOs. It is about how we know what we know.
It's up-to-date, to, because it was published in 2008. Highly recommended, especially for lovers of astronomy and hysteria-free discussion of the possibility of life elsewhere in the Universe.
He takes the time to go back along the history of the scientific method to discuss what science is, and how it works. He's refreshingly clear and concise. This is one of the best books I have ever read about UFOs, in part because it isn't really about UFOs. It is about how we know what we know.
It's up-to-date, to, because it was published in 2008. Highly recommended, especially for lovers of astronomy and hysteria-free discussion of the possibility of life elsewhere in the Universe.
January 28, 2009
This book is not about UFOs but about the hard science behind the concept and search for life in the universe. It mostly covers our solar system and other planetary systems in the Milky Way galaxy but also touches on the universe as whole. The author is knowledgeable and open to both current and new ideas on the subject. As a science buff I found the book to be well based on fact and science; and as a hopeful UFO believer, I found the author (a scientist) willing to listen and not insulting to those who do believe. This is a well thought out book worthy of both sides of the story.
January 15, 2014
Certainly an intriguing topic . . . alghough with a foregone conclusion since the entire topic is purely hypothetical. Posits very interesting scenarios, however - for example categorizing possible civilizations (please, not aliens - perhaps alien to earth civilizations) into three possible streams.
Much of the book dwells on what the supposed requirements for life are (that would be assuming that extra-terrestrial life has the same requirements more of less than human requirements).
Interesting handling of the paradox: 'where are they?'
Much of the book dwells on what the supposed requirements for life are (that would be assuming that extra-terrestrial life has the same requirements more of less than human requirements).
Interesting handling of the paradox: 'where are they?'
January 12, 2009
Bennett creates an accessible view of our inter-connectedness with Earth's planetary processes and why it would be more shocking if we are the only life in the universe. He provides an understanding of the unique qualities of carbon and water that together with a handful of amino acids create the inevitability of life arising on the right planet.
August 12, 2008
its all about the known science behind the search for life elsewhere and the beginning of Earth. not my cup of tea but thought provoking and informative
April 25, 2012
I think that everyone should be required to read at least the last chapter of this book. This might result in a better world for us all to live in.
May 7, 2015
A wonderful Book about space. The author takes to the wonders of UFOs, extraterrestrial life etc. This title one should not miss.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews