Exoplanets: Worlds Without End

by Scientific American

In the two decades since astronomers first discovered the existence of a planet outside of our solar system, "exoplanetology" has become the hottest specialty in astrophysics. Scientists young and old, inspired by the thought of finding either another habitable world or the Holy Grail of space exploration, life itself, flocked to be part of this burgeoning field. With so much brainpower on hand, it's no wonder that investigative techniques advanced more quickly than anyone would have thought. To date, more than 1,000 exoplanets have been found, and in this eBook, Exoplanets: Worlds Without End, we delve into this quest that sometimes sounds more like science fiction than science. Section 1, "Exo-Search," sets the stage and outlines how astronomers are looking for new worlds: the various techniques, how they've improved to date and plans for upcoming missions. Sections 2 through 5 analyze the discoveries, often both controversial and strange. Section 3 focuses on the race to find other Earth-like planets. With excitement at an all-time high, author Ron Cowen cautions against publishing too quickly out of optimism. In "Noisy Stars May Create Phantom Planets," Cowen describes how stellar activity can mimic the signs of tiny exoplanets. Section 4 takes on the real oddballs. They may be remnants of gas giants whose atmospheres were stripped away, as in the piece "The Bones of Giants," or have alien chemistries. Some trace their course around white dwarfs, the results of a second generation of planets forming around old stars. Section 5 asks if there's life out there. In "Anybody Home?" John Matson describes the search for the chemical signatures that scientists think are telltale signs that we're not the only living things in this part of the universe. So far, we're still alone out here, but in a field where the discoveries are coming thick and fast, it's exciting to think that it could all change tomorrow.

Genres: Space, Science, Astronomy, Nonfiction

177 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 15, 2015

About the author

Scientific American , as an institutional author, is a popular science magazine founded by Rufus M. Porter and controlled by Nature Publishing Group since autumn, 2008. Mariette DiChristina has been editor-in-chief since December, 2009.

Reviews

[Benjamin Stahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely the best thing I have read on this fascinating subject so far, Exoplanets comprises a collection of scientific essays from a range of experts involved in the search for potentially inhabitable planets beyond our solar system. This book offers interested readers a wide variety of content, coming from angles such as what we currently know about confirmed exoplanets with conditions potentially conducive to sustaining life and what the trajectory for the near future seems most likely to be. However, it also does not shy away from exploring more tantalising questions - unlike many books and podcasts on the subject, which seem to disdain any popular sentiments fuelled by movies and literature, like a marine biologist grumpily retorting, "Yeah, but it's not all about sharks, mate! Look at all this goddam paperwork!".

For me, these more "tantalising" questions were not merely limited to the possibility of extraterrestrial life, or even advanced alien civilizations. The contributors to this book - all reputable, non-tin-foil-hat conspiracist scientists in the field - treat with measured scepticism but also open-mindedness, the pressing consideration of whether, if there are aliens out there, we really ought to be so forthcoming in announcing a presence. Even Stephen Hawking expressed fears here, saying that our hypothetical meeting with interstellar beings might end up looking something like when Christiopher Columbus arrived in the Americas. Other interesting questions include how we might change and perhaps speciate, along with our cultures, values and beliefs, after colonising other planets.

Personally, I sit mostly on the fence regarding aliens. I generally dismiss all the popular legends and ongoing claims about flying saucers in the sky, and such nonsense as "skin walkers" and alien abductions. But I do think it is perfectly possible that life may have arisen, and even intelligent beings evolved and flourished, in other distant parts of our vast universe. It would be wholly unscientific to reject that possibility. But at the same time, I think it is quite unlikely we will ever encounter them - at least not in the near future. Also, it is absolutely possible that there really is no one else out there.

But either way, I find the question and these subjects fascinating - exoplanets, aliens, and their interrelation. And books like this, which allow one to indulge in this field of inquiry without having to deal with hysterical falsehoods and far-fetched conspiracies, are a rare treat.

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of Scientific American articles regarding finding planets around other stars, the possibility of contacting other civilizations, and the issues of reaching other stars to colonize.

Contents

Section 1-Exo-Search (00:06)
o A Plentitude of Planets by John Matson (07:31)
o The Dawn of Distant Skies by Michael D. Lemonick (26:59)
o New Mission Examines Chemical Signatures by John Matson (03:41)
o Gravitational Mesolensing and the Hunt for Exoplanets by Caleb A. Scharf (06:01)
o Should We Expect Other Earth-Like Planets at All by Caleb A. Scharf (10:04)

Section 2 Giants-Hot and Cold (00:07)
o The Varied Lives of 'Hot Jupiters' by Ken Croswell (06:09)
o Lonely Planets by Caleb A. Scharf (05:16)
o Atmosphere Sheds Light on Planetary Formation by Kelly Oakes (05:11)

Section 3 Potential Earths-Places We Could Call Home (00:08)
o Planets with Lots to Offer by Dimitar D. Sasselov and Diana Valencia (24:33)
o Noisy Stars May Create Phantom Planets by Ron Cowen (03:53)
o Water Worlds by Ron Cowen (04:34)
o Do Small Planets Need a Heavy Metal Star by John Matson (05:31)
o Tiny Planets with Big Potential by John Matson (07:08)
o Do Three Super-Earths Orbit a Nearby Star by Lee Billings (11:22)
o Better Than Earth by René Heller (22:56)

Section 4 Oddballs-Stranger Than Fiction (00:07)
o Bones of Giants by Charles Choi (06:10)
o Diamond Planets by John Matson (04:52)
o Improbable Planets by Michael W. Werner and Michael A. Jura (18:17)
o Intergalactic Expat by John Matson (05:19)
o A Large Lump of Coal by George Musser (05:35)
o A Tale of Two Exoplanets by JR Minkel (05:45)
o Worlds with Two Suns by William F. Welsh and Laurance R. Doyle (22:37)

Section 5-The Search for Life (00:06)
o Anybody Home by John Matson (04:10)
o The Search for Life on Faraway Moons by Lee Billings (23:03)
o Extraterrestrial Intelligence by John Matson (05:40)
o Contact-The Day After by Tim Folger (26:23)
o The Color of Plants on Other Worlds by Nancy Y. Kiang (28:32)

Section 6-Going the Distance-Interstellar Travel (00:07)
o Reaching for the Stars by Stephanie D. Leifer (14:12)
o Starship Humanity by Cameron M. Smith (26:11)

[Michael Santini · Rating 4 out of 5]

An good introduction to the field of exoplanets, that is, planets orbiting stars outside our solar system. Scientific American assembled articles from their magazine over the past 15 years and compiled them into a short book. Reading the text is timely for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, in my view, we are entering the "Golden Age of Exoplanets." Only 35oo have been discovered to date, but global space agencies are planning to increase the number of "finds" to hundreds of thousands in 20-30 years. Many billions of dollars are now being spent on ground and space-based telescopes that are exclusively dedicated to researching these distant bodies.

Secondly, advances in spectroscopy using the infrared allows understanding these planets to a high degree. They're not just specks in a telescope. The surface, atmosphere and chemical composition can be revealed. In seeking to find Earth-like planets like our own, scientists uncover bodies such as Pulsar Planets, Hot Jupiter's, Rogue Planets, Super Earth's and Ocean Worlds.

So, the future of space exploration (outside of traveling to Mars) lies squarely in the field of exoplanet research. Many thesis and dissertations will be born of this subject in the coming decades. And the science section of your news feed will clutter with their finding.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting collection of articles, though things got a little repetitive at times as each of these articles published over a time span of about 15 years was of course intended to stand alone. That aside, this was quite fascinating.

[Billy B. Yip · Rating 5 out of 5]

How I spend my Christmas Day 2023.

A collection of papers from Scientific American about astrophysics, space exploration, and primarily exoplanets this was quite enjoyable and easy to comprehend and understand. Articles are a tad older though going back to 2012.

[Michael Barros · Rating 3 out of 5]

I almost liked this but then I realized I’m not a big smelly nerd.

[Tony Ciak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice readings of articles

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

My interest in exoplanets isn't so much in setting up camp on them someday (the Fermi paradox is a depressingly good argument for why we won't), but the oblique means through which they're discovered. There's a spooky thrill to reading about wobble and transiting, akin to standing in a dark room and knowing someone's behind you, not because they've made any noise, but because of a subtle shift in the air, some tiny vibration in the floorboards you've barely felt, and the amount of information astronomers have gathered about these worlds, from binary star orbits to hot Jupiters--the universe's best metaphor for that charismatic, self-destructive friend-- is astonishing. Repetition in a few of the articles, but for this layperson, it provides some necessary review.

[Clifton Staples · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is mind-expanding, and impressively so as most of the articles deal with simple, generally accepted scientific realities, and facts about space exploration and astronomy that are available to the public already. Although some of the articles are dated by this point, and there is a high degree of speculation that goes on, this is still a very good introduction to the fascinating topic of exoplanets, and more broadly, the future of humanity in space.

More than being informative, this is also one of the most hopeful and genuinely inspiring books I've read in a long time. The topic of exoplanets is here explored with that element of pure human curiosity that seeks nothing beyond the ability to simply learn and grow, something that can be easily forgotten, but that which is most magnified in hard science disciplines. That being said, this book is still very accessible to the layperson (myself included). I never found the jargon too cumbersome to the point of confusion, and at times, I found myself easily enchanted by the conjured images of binary star systems, planets made of diamond, and all the fantastic images present here. For anyone interested in the future of space exploration, astronomy, or even just fans of Star Trek, this is a great read.

[Joan A. Jazwinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

I would recommend this book to those interested in science and in the universe. While we obviously know very little about other planets in other solar systems, this book helps one envision them.

[Anton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite informative, but sometimes hard to read due to some repetition (it's a collection of essays after all).