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Out There: A Scientific Guide to Alien Life, Antimatter, and Human Space Travel
In the vein of Randall Munroe's What If? meets Brian Green's Elegant Universe, a senior writer from Space.com leads readers on a wild ride of exploration into the final frontier, investigating what's really "out there."
We've all asked ourselves the question. It's impossible to look up at the stars and NOT think about Are we alone in the universe? Books, movies and television shows proliferate that attempt to answer this question and explore it. In Out There Space.com senior writer Dr. Michael Wall treats that question as merely the beginning, touching off a wild ride of exploration into the final frontier. He considers, for instance, the myriad of questions that would arise once we do discover life beyond Earth (an eventuality which, top NASA officials told Wall, is only drawing closer).
What would the first aliens we meet look like? Would they be little green men or mere microbes? Would they be found on a planet in our own solar system or orbiting a star far, far away? Would they intend to harm us, and if so, how might they do it? And might they already have visited?
Out There is arranged in a simple question-and-answer format. The answers are delivered in Dr. Wall's informal but informative style, which mixes in a healthy dose of humor and pop culture to make big ideas easier to swallow. Dr. Wall covers questions far beyond alien life, venturing into astronomy, physics, and the practical realities of what long-term life might be like for we mere humans in outer space, such as the idea of lunar colonies, and even economic implications. Dr. Wall also shares the insights of some of the leading lights in space exploration today, and shows how the next space age might be brighter than ever.
We've all asked ourselves the question. It's impossible to look up at the stars and NOT think about Are we alone in the universe? Books, movies and television shows proliferate that attempt to answer this question and explore it. In Out There Space.com senior writer Dr. Michael Wall treats that question as merely the beginning, touching off a wild ride of exploration into the final frontier. He considers, for instance, the myriad of questions that would arise once we do discover life beyond Earth (an eventuality which, top NASA officials told Wall, is only drawing closer).
What would the first aliens we meet look like? Would they be little green men or mere microbes? Would they be found on a planet in our own solar system or orbiting a star far, far away? Would they intend to harm us, and if so, how might they do it? And might they already have visited?
Out There is arranged in a simple question-and-answer format. The answers are delivered in Dr. Wall's informal but informative style, which mixes in a healthy dose of humor and pop culture to make big ideas easier to swallow. Dr. Wall covers questions far beyond alien life, venturing into astronomy, physics, and the practical realities of what long-term life might be like for we mere humans in outer space, such as the idea of lunar colonies, and even economic implications. Dr. Wall also shares the insights of some of the leading lights in space exploration today, and shows how the next space age might be brighter than ever.
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First published November 13, 2018
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About the author
Michael Wall
81 books19 followersMichael Wall is a former Chief Press Secretary for the New Zealand Government. He has also worked in the Office of the Prime Minister, under the administration of Sir Robert Muldoon.
He now lives at Te Ore Ore in the Wairarapa where he writes and breeds sports horses. He has written a series of thriller novels, including Museum Street, Friendly Fire, The Cassino Legacy, The Temptations of Frederick Weld, and Cardinal Sins.
He has also written other books, including the non-fiction book Wairarapa: A Place Apart
He now lives at Te Ore Ore in the Wairarapa where he writes and breeds sports horses. He has written a series of thriller novels, including Museum Street, Friendly Fire, The Cassino Legacy, The Temptations of Frederick Weld, and Cardinal Sins.
He has also written other books, including the non-fiction book Wairarapa: A Place Apart
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
December 7, 2018
Informative, based on scientific research and real observations, not speculations and guessing.
December 25, 2018
This cheeky little book attempts to digest all of the speculative and predictive thought about aliens, space travel, time travel, and tropes of sci-fi generally. For a dilettante like me without any background in physics or the hard sciences, it was the perfect level of detail, and the humor sped things along apace. Really enjoyed this very quick read.
January 20, 2019
Unfortunately I didn't really gain anything new from this novel. Everything that was tackled here I've already read somewhere else and it's more of questions than answers really. This novel isn't bad, it's just unfortunate that I already read a bunch of books like this before and those were more in depth.
December 3, 2019
Informative & fun, but nothing really new to me. Still, it was a nice package that was leavened with some humor. A great place to start if you want to know a little about our search for ET. Highly recommended on a Sunday Supplement level.
Table of Contents
Part I: What’s Out There?
Chapter 1: Where Is Everybody? The universe is BIG & getting bigger. He makes the point that it's not too surprising we have found ET yet. It's a big place & even light takes a long time making it around. The time & area we've been searching (a century) is a gnat's breath.
Chapter 2: Are We All Martians? Mars was a viable environment for life before Earth was & we collect a fair amount of matter from it. It's not inconceivable that simple life began on Mars & made the trip here.
Chapter 3: What Does ET Look Like? Probably not like us, but space is close to infinite. Who knows?
Chapter 4: Do Aliens Have Sex? It's certainly a fun way of swapping genetic material around for us. Less so for other species. We don't know, but mixing genes is great way to keep ahead of parasites & change with the times, so probably. They might not like it as much, though.
Chapter 5: What Are We Looking For? covers a lot of the signs of life as we know it. Some molecules don't occur in quantity without life producing them in our world. There are other ways, such as 'intelligent' signals, too.
Chapter 6: Where Is ET Hiding? expands on the previous chapter into the environments we most likely think could harbor ET life. That doesn't limit it to intelligent life. Places like Europa & Titan might have microbes similar to the extreme archaea in deep ocean thermal vents, though.
Chapter 7: How Would the World Be Told? Probably in a relatively boring news conference & only after a lot of double checking, although word would certainly leak out. He has some interesting examples.
Chapter 8: Could We Talk to ET? as he points out, there are a lot of dead languages on Earth, written by our own species, that we haven't figured out. Maybe, but don't count on it.
Chapter 9: How Would the World Respond? It depends on whether it was BEMs or microbes, of course.
Chapter 10: Have We Already Found ET? Probably not yet. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence & the possibility of Earth-side contamination is quite real. Now probes are given incredibly thorough baths to make sure they don't spread the wealth.
Chapter 11: Will Aliens Kill Us All? Who knows?
Part II: Getting Out There
Chapter 12: Will We Colonize the Moon and Mars? Likely we'll at least have small colonies soon. Beyond that is pure speculation.
Chapter 13: Can We Go Interstellar? Certainly with machines, but for us the energy costs are awfully high. Maybe we can go as machine minds. (He didn't mention Bob. We Are Legion)
Chapter 14: Will There Be a Homo spaciens? A look at various propulsion systems versus energy requirements in a fun, understandable format.
Chapter 15: Is Time Travel Possible? Certainly! We travel 1 second into the future at a time. Other ways? Maybe.
Chapter 16: What Will Happen to Us? We're going to die out. He says most mammal species last a few million years on average. I thought the average was a lot less. Sol will broil the Earth in a billion years or so & the only certainty is we will need to change homes, at best. Don't worry, he makes it fun.
Table of Contents
Part I: What’s Out There?
Chapter 1: Where Is Everybody? The universe is BIG & getting bigger. He makes the point that it's not too surprising we have found ET yet. It's a big place & even light takes a long time making it around. The time & area we've been searching (a century) is a gnat's breath.
Chapter 2: Are We All Martians? Mars was a viable environment for life before Earth was & we collect a fair amount of matter from it. It's not inconceivable that simple life began on Mars & made the trip here.
Chapter 3: What Does ET Look Like? Probably not like us, but space is close to infinite. Who knows?
Chapter 4: Do Aliens Have Sex? It's certainly a fun way of swapping genetic material around for us. Less so for other species. We don't know, but mixing genes is great way to keep ahead of parasites & change with the times, so probably. They might not like it as much, though.
Chapter 5: What Are We Looking For? covers a lot of the signs of life as we know it. Some molecules don't occur in quantity without life producing them in our world. There are other ways, such as 'intelligent' signals, too.
Chapter 6: Where Is ET Hiding? expands on the previous chapter into the environments we most likely think could harbor ET life. That doesn't limit it to intelligent life. Places like Europa & Titan might have microbes similar to the extreme archaea in deep ocean thermal vents, though.
Chapter 7: How Would the World Be Told? Probably in a relatively boring news conference & only after a lot of double checking, although word would certainly leak out. He has some interesting examples.
Chapter 8: Could We Talk to ET? as he points out, there are a lot of dead languages on Earth, written by our own species, that we haven't figured out. Maybe, but don't count on it.
Chapter 9: How Would the World Respond? It depends on whether it was BEMs or microbes, of course.
Chapter 10: Have We Already Found ET? Probably not yet. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence & the possibility of Earth-side contamination is quite real. Now probes are given incredibly thorough baths to make sure they don't spread the wealth.
Chapter 11: Will Aliens Kill Us All? Who knows?
Part II: Getting Out There
Chapter 12: Will We Colonize the Moon and Mars? Likely we'll at least have small colonies soon. Beyond that is pure speculation.
Chapter 13: Can We Go Interstellar? Certainly with machines, but for us the energy costs are awfully high. Maybe we can go as machine minds. (He didn't mention Bob. We Are Legion)
Chapter 14: Will There Be a Homo spaciens? A look at various propulsion systems versus energy requirements in a fun, understandable format.
Chapter 15: Is Time Travel Possible? Certainly! We travel 1 second into the future at a time. Other ways? Maybe.
Chapter 16: What Will Happen to Us? We're going to die out. He says most mammal species last a few million years on average. I thought the average was a lot less. Sol will broil the Earth in a billion years or so & the only certainty is we will need to change homes, at best. Don't worry, he makes it fun.
February 25, 2019
The first thing I noticed when cracking open Out There was that the typeface was twice as big as I'd expect, which is a big red flag for me when it comes to short nonfiction. And sure enough, the book involved way too much padding for my taste.
It's written in a breezy, simplistic style that might make it a decent fit for middle-grade readers if it didn't also include references to things like virtual porn. I've read more engaging (and less fluffy) takes on these subjects though, so I gave up on it after a few chapters.
It's written in a breezy, simplistic style that might make it a decent fit for middle-grade readers if it didn't also include references to things like virtual porn. I've read more engaging (and less fluffy) takes on these subjects though, so I gave up on it after a few chapters.
December 20, 2024
i wanna be a little alien
January 19, 2020
Някъде там са извънземните: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/n...
Майкъл Уол е от най-добре пишещите научни популяризатори, който в под двеста страници и с много свежи скечове е успял да опише основните теми, свързани с търсенето на извънземен живот. Следейки съдържанието, те могат да се сумират простичко: Къде са всички извънземни (бълнуванията на автори като Деникен също влизат в уравнението)? Дали не произхождаме от Марс, където сега се стремим да идем/да се завърнем? Как биха изглеждали тези чужди същества, дали правят секс (вероятно най-щекотливата глава, заради която нямаме червена точка на корицата само поради факта, че не знаем и на колко години стават пълнолетни инопланетяните :) ). Какво търсим всъщност там навън и защо не го откриваме?
CIELA Books
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/n...
Майкъл Уол е от най-добре пишещите научни популяризатори, който в под двеста страници и с много свежи скечове е успял да опише основните теми, свързани с търсенето на извънземен живот. Следейки съдържанието, те могат да се сумират простичко: Къде са всички извънземни (бълнуванията на автори като Деникен също влизат в уравнението)? Дали не произхождаме от Марс, където сега се стремим да идем/да се завърнем? Как биха изглеждали тези чужди същества, дали правят секс (вероятно най-щекотливата глава, заради която нямаме червена точка на корицата само поради факта, че не знаем и на колко години стават пълнолетни инопланетяните :) ). Какво търсим всъщност там навън и защо не го откриваме?
CIELA Books
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/n...
January 12, 2019
what a fascinating universe! aren't you glad you live here?
sooo so good!!! one of the best books i've read on the subject. we truly live in a remarkable time, settled right here on the very precipice of the second space age. wall is accessible, hilarious, and unbelievably smart -- i absolutely devoured this book. i highly highly highly recommend it to anyone interested in mankind's inevitable future as a space-exploring species. we have so much to look forward to!
sooo so good!!! one of the best books i've read on the subject. we truly live in a remarkable time, settled right here on the very precipice of the second space age. wall is accessible, hilarious, and unbelievably smart -- i absolutely devoured this book. i highly highly highly recommend it to anyone interested in mankind's inevitable future as a space-exploring species. we have so much to look forward to!
January 3, 2021
This is a great book for someone curious about Space, even if they don't know anything. It's just scientific enough and the author has a great sense of humor.
November 6, 2020
Вървя пеш. Ако времето е ясно и нищо не ме преследва, хвърлям поглед към звездите и си спомням детството.
Сякаш най-първо тъкмо книгите ми подсказаха, че звездите „блещукат“, но го осъзнах, едва след като започнах тайничко да се промъквам в хладната и загадъчна стая на починалите ми баба и дядо. Извитата северна стена напомняше за фасадата на цилиндрична кула. Прозорецът бе насочен към едно малко парче небе над Бургас, очертано от смълчаните покриви на околните сгради. Там, през късните вечери, съвсем сам и устояващ на страха от призраци и други незнайни твари, гледах звездите. И разбрах, че те наистина „блещукат“ – като скъпоценните камъни, които също не бях виждал, но за които бях чел... или като някакви ситни червено-бели пламъчета в космическия безкрай.
Обземаше ме странно чувство на безтегловност – не знам дали е било тежестта на минали животи, непосилна за едно глупаво дете или съзнаването колко сме нищожни на фона на този черен безкрай, поръсен с блестящи трохи, които са далечни горящи слънца.
"Някъде там" ме върна към тези моменти. Книгата успява да постави големите въпроси на настоящето и бъдещето хем разбираемо и шеговито, хем без да попада в опасния капан на детинската наивност. Мисля, че всеки без задълбочени познания по Космология би намерил нещо интересно. За мен дойде неизбежното разочарование от рухването на красивия мит, че звездите блещукат. Всичко се оказа въпрос на отражения и гледна точка. Но продължавам да мисля, че нашата е страхотна.
Сякаш най-първо тъкмо книгите ми подсказаха, че звездите „блещукат“, но го осъзнах, едва след като започнах тайничко да се промъквам в хладната и загадъчна стая на починалите ми баба и дядо. Извитата северна стена напомняше за фасадата на цилиндрична кула. Прозорецът бе насочен към едно малко парче небе над Бургас, очертано от смълчаните покриви на околните сгради. Там, през късните вечери, съвсем сам и устояващ на страха от призраци и други незнайни твари, гледах звездите. И разбрах, че те наистина „блещукат“ – като скъпоценните камъни, които също не бях виждал, но за които бях чел... или като някакви ситни червено-бели пламъчета в космическия безкрай.
Обземаше ме странно чувство на безтегловност – не знам дали е било тежестта на минали животи, непосилна за едно глупаво дете или съзнаването колко сме нищожни на фона на този черен безкрай, поръсен с блестящи трохи, които са далечни горящи слънца.
"Някъде там" ме върна към тези моменти. Книгата успява да постави големите въпроси на настоящето и бъдещето хем разбираемо и шеговито, хем без да попада в опасния капан на детинската наивност. Мисля, че всеки без задълбочени познания по Космология би намерил нещо интересно. За мен дойде неизбежното разочарование от рухването на красивия мит, че звездите блещукат. Всичко се оказа въпрос на отражения и гледна точка. Но продължавам да мисля, че нашата е страхотна.
May 14, 2019
Just okay...while some of the facts were interesting, I cringed at every bad attempt at humor. Likely would have earned another star with that simple elimination.
February 6, 2019
I thought this book was a lot of fun. Out There speculates about what alien life might be like and how and where we might find it. Wall is a good guide to take us through these questions. He doesn't believe aliens have been to our planet yet (although, as he points out, if they came 60 million years ago, how would we know?), but he is cautiously optimistic about the possibility of extraterrestrial life existing in the universe. I've read about a lot of the subjects covered in this book (transpermia, that Martian meteorite some people think contains proof of Martian life, SETI, etc) but this is the first time I've ever read anything where all these subjects were discussed together in a comprehensive way.
Wall also discusses the potential of humans to travel through, or perhaps even colonize, space. No matter what he's discussing, he's always interesting, thought provoking, engaging, and reasonable.
One negative comment: Randall Monroe has done terrible damage to science writing. Since he is a funny man and can effectively write about scientific subjects with humor, all the other science nerds think they can too. And they can't. As much as I enjoy Wall's writing, he attempts many jokes in this book that just don't land. If you aren't Monroe (or Bill Bryson) maybe don't try so hard to be funny when you write about science.
Wall also discusses the potential of humans to travel through, or perhaps even colonize, space. No matter what he's discussing, he's always interesting, thought provoking, engaging, and reasonable.
One negative comment: Randall Monroe has done terrible damage to science writing. Since he is a funny man and can effectively write about scientific subjects with humor, all the other science nerds think they can too. And they can't. As much as I enjoy Wall's writing, he attempts many jokes in this book that just don't land. If you aren't Monroe (or Bill Bryson) maybe don't try so hard to be funny when you write about science.
February 25, 2022
It was okay, but not really memorable. I wouldn’t say it brings anything of note to the table
April 26, 2019
This was an interesting short read. The author writes in an entertaining, engaging style that was a pleasant change from some of the overly dry and tedious reading that plagues many science books.
Although it had a nice style and was fun to read, most (if not all) of the material covered here will not be new to most who have a basic understanding of chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy, and have done even cursory reading related to those subjects. Of course that may be presumptuous of me, as many people might be new to one or more of these sciences, and will probably find the info presented within very exciting and informative.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone curious about space exploration, the cosmos, and astronomy in general.
Although it had a nice style and was fun to read, most (if not all) of the material covered here will not be new to most who have a basic understanding of chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy, and have done even cursory reading related to those subjects. Of course that may be presumptuous of me, as many people might be new to one or more of these sciences, and will probably find the info presented within very exciting and informative.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone curious about space exploration, the cosmos, and astronomy in general.
April 16, 2019
A competent survey of the history and current state of the explored concepts for a general audience, but doesn't bring anything new or interesting to established fans of space and science. Michael tries too hard to make sure there's a snarky joke or pop-culture reference every few sentences; a few are well crafted and entertaining, but on the whole it comes off as contrived.
November 17, 2023
“Out There” is a fascinating and entertaining journey into the mysteries of the cosmos, guided by the expert voice of Michael Wall, a senior writer for Space.com. Wall tackles some of the most intriguing questions that humans have ever asked, such as: Are we alone in the universe? What would alien life look like? How can we travel to other stars? What is the fate of our galaxy and the universe?
Wall does not shy away from the scientific and technical aspects of these topics, but he explains them in a clear and accessible way, using analogies, examples, and illustrations. He also injects humor and pop culture references into his writing, making the book fun and engaging to read. The audiobook is narrated by Will Collyer, who does a great job of conveying Wall's enthusiasm and curiosity. Collyer's voice is pleasant and expressive, and he varies his tone and pace to suit the mood and content of each chapter.
The audiobook is divided into 14 chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of the search for life and intelligence in the universe. Some of the highlights include:
- The Wow! Signal. Wall introduces the concept of SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) and recounts the story of the most famous signal ever detected by radio telescopes, which could have been a message from an alien civilization.
- The Fermi Paradox. Wall explores the paradoxical question of why we have not encountered any evidence of alien life, despite the vastness and age of the universe. He discusses various possible explanations, such as the rarity of life, the difficulty of communication, the dangers of self-destruction, and the existence of a galactic zoo.
- Exoplanets. Wall describes the amazing discoveries of planets orbiting other stars, and how astronomers are able to detect and characterize them. He also explains the criteria for habitability, and the prospects of finding Earth-like worlds in the Goldilocks zone.
- Antimatter. Wall delves into the weird and wonderful world of antimatter, the mirror image of normal matter. He explains how antimatter is created and destroyed, and how it could be used as a source of energy and propulsion for interstellar travel.
- The End of Everything. Wall concludes the book with a cosmic perspective on the ultimate fate of our planet, our star, our galaxy, and our universe. He discusses the various scenarios of how the universe could end, such as the Big Crunch, the Big Rip, the Big Freeze, and the Big Bounce.
“Out There” is a book that will appeal to anyone who has ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what's out there. It is a book that will inspire you to learn more about the universe and our place in it. It is a book that will make you appreciate the beauty and wonder of creation, and the value and fragility of life. It is a book that will make you think, laugh, and marvel. It is a book that you will not regret listening to.
Wall does not shy away from the scientific and technical aspects of these topics, but he explains them in a clear and accessible way, using analogies, examples, and illustrations. He also injects humor and pop culture references into his writing, making the book fun and engaging to read. The audiobook is narrated by Will Collyer, who does a great job of conveying Wall's enthusiasm and curiosity. Collyer's voice is pleasant and expressive, and he varies his tone and pace to suit the mood and content of each chapter.
The audiobook is divided into 14 chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of the search for life and intelligence in the universe. Some of the highlights include:
- The Wow! Signal. Wall introduces the concept of SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) and recounts the story of the most famous signal ever detected by radio telescopes, which could have been a message from an alien civilization.
- The Fermi Paradox. Wall explores the paradoxical question of why we have not encountered any evidence of alien life, despite the vastness and age of the universe. He discusses various possible explanations, such as the rarity of life, the difficulty of communication, the dangers of self-destruction, and the existence of a galactic zoo.
- Exoplanets. Wall describes the amazing discoveries of planets orbiting other stars, and how astronomers are able to detect and characterize them. He also explains the criteria for habitability, and the prospects of finding Earth-like worlds in the Goldilocks zone.
- Antimatter. Wall delves into the weird and wonderful world of antimatter, the mirror image of normal matter. He explains how antimatter is created and destroyed, and how it could be used as a source of energy and propulsion for interstellar travel.
- The End of Everything. Wall concludes the book with a cosmic perspective on the ultimate fate of our planet, our star, our galaxy, and our universe. He discusses the various scenarios of how the universe could end, such as the Big Crunch, the Big Rip, the Big Freeze, and the Big Bounce.
“Out There” is a book that will appeal to anyone who has ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what's out there. It is a book that will inspire you to learn more about the universe and our place in it. It is a book that will make you appreciate the beauty and wonder of creation, and the value and fragility of life. It is a book that will make you think, laugh, and marvel. It is a book that you will not regret listening to.
April 2, 2019
Are we alone in the universe? It is a good question to ask. Given the size of the universe and the diversity of life on earth, it seems rather unusual for us to insist that we are the only intelligent beings. Out There is a measured, scientific look at Extraterrestrial Life and the implications it would have for all of us on Earth. The author, Michael Wall, sprinkles little bits of humor here and there that add a touch of flavor to what he is saying.
Most of the book focuses on aliens and methods to communicate with them. Wall discusses SETI, the methodology used in case intelligent life or any life is found, the implications it would have for religious people, and other such inane topics. For example, it might make headline news for a few days. The heads of state don’t need to be informed. The UN doesn’t have an official chain of command for such an event. In fact, from what I understand, they don’t particularly care. In this case, I can understand that though, I imagine it is far more important to manage international affairs.
So in that sense, the book was interesting. While it wasn’t particularly stupendous, it did briefly touch upon ideas of colonizing other planets, intergalactic space travel, different forms of communication that we might be unfamiliar with and other such trivia. The book explores every little possibility. Is there life on other planets? Is this life intelligent? Could the aliens be hostile, like in a lot of Action Movies? Maybe the aliens would be lovable or make saucy quips. Other than our knowledge of the sheer vastness of space, it is difficult to even say with certainty that there would be life on other planets. However, space is massive. It is impossible to grasp this concept with our puny human minds. Probability is in favor of there being at least a few planets where life could flourish and I tend to agree.
Most of the book focuses on aliens and methods to communicate with them. Wall discusses SETI, the methodology used in case intelligent life or any life is found, the implications it would have for religious people, and other such inane topics. For example, it might make headline news for a few days. The heads of state don’t need to be informed. The UN doesn’t have an official chain of command for such an event. In fact, from what I understand, they don’t particularly care. In this case, I can understand that though, I imagine it is far more important to manage international affairs.
So in that sense, the book was interesting. While it wasn’t particularly stupendous, it did briefly touch upon ideas of colonizing other planets, intergalactic space travel, different forms of communication that we might be unfamiliar with and other such trivia. The book explores every little possibility. Is there life on other planets? Is this life intelligent? Could the aliens be hostile, like in a lot of Action Movies? Maybe the aliens would be lovable or make saucy quips. Other than our knowledge of the sheer vastness of space, it is difficult to even say with certainty that there would be life on other planets. However, space is massive. It is impossible to grasp this concept with our puny human minds. Probability is in favor of there being at least a few planets where life could flourish and I tend to agree.
May 16, 2020
"Някъде там" от д - р Майкъл Уол. Научнопопулярна книга, която успява накратко да обясни, обори или подкрепи много теории, свързани с извънземни и нашият път към Дълбокия Космос. Авторът се уповава на разговори с много експерти от сферата на космологията и уфологията, които се разделят на скептици и оптимисти по темата. Разискват се много важни, но също така налудничави въпроси, които всеки от нас си задава или поне си е задавал някога, но може би е забравил. Със своя хумористичен стил авторът не изоставя научните обяснения, но успява да ги представи по начин, който в никакъв случай не може да се нарече суховат или неразбираем. Напротив, именно лесното и бързо асимилиране на информация спомага за увлекателното четене. Из страниците се дават отговори на въпроси като "Има ли разумен живот?", "Сами ли сме?" и "Дали някога ще стигнем там отвъд?". Прочетете и ще разберете сами. Препоръчвам книгата на "космически любопитковци", "галактически стопаджии" и тем подобни интересуващи се от извънземни читатели.
February 8, 2019
Three point five stars. Amusing, breezy, with enough brain candy to keep you engaged. Per Wall: life elsewhere? Probably. Intelligent life? Probably. Will we become robots? Probably, unless we commit collective suicide. Lots more besides, but those are my main takeaways.
Contra Wall's optimism, I recommend "If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens ... WHERE IS EVERYBODY?" by Webb. Webb focuses exclusively on the likelihood of alien life, unlike Wall, who also discusses a number of related topics (terraforming, space travel, etc.).
Wall's humor isn't always my cup of tea, but I do hate clowns, so here's my favorite example: "Selfish tribalism seems to be a defining part of human nature, like the capacity for complex abstract thought, a nonsexual love of Tom Hanks, and a crippling fear of clowns."
Contra Wall's optimism, I recommend "If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens ... WHERE IS EVERYBODY?" by Webb. Webb focuses exclusively on the likelihood of alien life, unlike Wall, who also discusses a number of related topics (terraforming, space travel, etc.).
Wall's humor isn't always my cup of tea, but I do hate clowns, so here's my favorite example: "Selfish tribalism seems to be a defining part of human nature, like the capacity for complex abstract thought, a nonsexual love of Tom Hanks, and a crippling fear of clowns."
December 7, 2018
An excellent fun, easy to read science book covering Astro Physics and biology. Really like the authors style in using learned HS science skills to unlock secrets of the universe.
Should be required reading of all first year science majors.
Should be required reading of all first year science majors.
January 27, 2019
Good subject matter, but too breezy and jokey for my taste.
March 26, 2019
A breezy quick read full of droll asides. Fun, quick, suitable for kids and young adults.
March 22, 2023
Very entertaining and informative! A bit dated, but still worthy of a read! Recommended.
December 4, 2025
This makes me sound pompous but this book was a little too pop-sci tip-of-the-iceberg for me. Easy, entertaining read
December 6, 2018
***I won this book from the Publisher via a Goodreads Giveaway***
Interesting read (mostly) on the search for alien life (mostly microbes and such, not little green men or the Greys!), (some) on human space travel, and just a little on Antimatter. Beautifully done book jacket! I love the touch of DOS green.
Wall lightens up the whole book with humor. I haven't read any of his articles on Space.com but I'd say the humor and the style are probably similar. That being said, I think most of the information in this book could be easily found on the internet. If you follow the goings on of NASA and any other space-related endeavors, then you've probably already read most, if not all, of the information contained in this book. But, it's nice that it's all in one easy-to-read place here. Wall is after all (a biologist (which gives him insight into the biology and evolution of alien life) turned) journalist (in particular he covers space tech in Silicon Valley) so everything in this book is just a rehash of what all is going on in this industry and what has already been done. Just in a more humorous tone.
I particularly enjoyed reading about the various upcoming missions to look for life on several of the planets, moons, etc. within our solar system.
Some of the humor using current pop culture references and talk of upcoming missions in the next several years may date the book rather quickly. But, it will still make for a nice history of human space travel and our search for alien life.
Interesting read (mostly) on the search for alien life (mostly microbes and such, not little green men or the Greys!), (some) on human space travel, and just a little on Antimatter. Beautifully done book jacket! I love the touch of DOS green.
Wall lightens up the whole book with humor. I haven't read any of his articles on Space.com but I'd say the humor and the style are probably similar. That being said, I think most of the information in this book could be easily found on the internet. If you follow the goings on of NASA and any other space-related endeavors, then you've probably already read most, if not all, of the information contained in this book. But, it's nice that it's all in one easy-to-read place here. Wall is after all (a biologist (which gives him insight into the biology and evolution of alien life) turned) journalist (in particular he covers space tech in Silicon Valley) so everything in this book is just a rehash of what all is going on in this industry and what has already been done. Just in a more humorous tone.
I particularly enjoyed reading about the various upcoming missions to look for life on several of the planets, moons, etc. within our solar system.
Some of the humor using current pop culture references and talk of upcoming missions in the next several years may date the book rather quickly. But, it will still make for a nice history of human space travel and our search for alien life.
October 1, 2019
Scientific and sassy aren't adjectives you'd normally stitch together. And yet, they define "Out There" perfectly. Part "Contact," part "Hitchhiker's Guide," mixed with a splash of "Cosmos", "Out There" is everything a smash Pop-Sci title should be: snappy, accurate, and packed with witticisms. Chart humanity's final frontier, as Michael Wall takes us through the cosmos , with the timeless question in mind: Where out there, and HOW out there, is life? Opening with the iconic WOW! signal, pressing into exoplanets, astrobiology, SETI, and the fate of our universe, this book hits all the right buttons, interspersed with laugh-out-loud anecdotes. The writing is distinctly Michael Wall, and for regular readers of Space.com, his work will be instantly recognizable. The magazine-esque style leaps from the pages, such as this stellar tidbit from Chapter 1: "You've made it through the Fermi Paradox Hypothesis Sampler Platter! Did any of the ideas jump out at you? Perhaps the berserkers, for violence and action, or the buried-ocean dwellers, for poignancy? (I picture sallow, eyeless mercreatures sadly strumming lutes.) If so, that's fine, but you probably shouldn't get too attached. We just don't have enough information at the moment to know what's actually going on. "I find it silly that so many people leap to shout 'Aha! I know the answer' " Brin said. "All we can do is catalog them for now, and maybe rank a Top Ten." But we could be getting that answer, and soon..." Intrigued yet?? NOTHING is off limits for the cosmically curious! A animated read in every way possible.
August 30, 2020
4,5/5
Soyons brefs : j’ai adoré ce livre. Il tente de répondre à une question que nous nous sommes tous déjà posé : Sommes nous seuls dans l’univers ? Partant de cette question, à la fois simple et complexe, l’auteur explore de nombreux thèmes, de la physionomie des possibles aliens à leur lieux de vies, du paradoxe de Fermi aux découvertes récentes sur les exoplanètes. Un livre assez court, mais très bien documenté, très drôle à lire (plein de clins d’oeil à la pop culture), bien écrit. C’est sans aucun doute un sujet très intéressant, et ce livre n’a fait qu’approfondir mon envie d’en apprendre plus.
Let’s be brief : I loved this book. It tries to answer to a question we all asked ourselves before : Are we alone in the universe ? Starting from this both simple and complex question, the author explores many themes, from the appearance of the possible aliens to their living places, from the Fermi paradox to the recent discoveries on exoplanets. A quite short book, but very well researched, very funny to read (full of nods to pop culture), well written. It is, without a doubt, a very interesting subject, and this book only made me want to know more about it.
Soyons brefs : j’ai adoré ce livre. Il tente de répondre à une question que nous nous sommes tous déjà posé : Sommes nous seuls dans l’univers ? Partant de cette question, à la fois simple et complexe, l’auteur explore de nombreux thèmes, de la physionomie des possibles aliens à leur lieux de vies, du paradoxe de Fermi aux découvertes récentes sur les exoplanètes. Un livre assez court, mais très bien documenté, très drôle à lire (plein de clins d’oeil à la pop culture), bien écrit. C’est sans aucun doute un sujet très intéressant, et ce livre n’a fait qu’approfondir mon envie d’en apprendre plus.
Let’s be brief : I loved this book. It tries to answer to a question we all asked ourselves before : Are we alone in the universe ? Starting from this both simple and complex question, the author explores many themes, from the appearance of the possible aliens to their living places, from the Fermi paradox to the recent discoveries on exoplanets. A quite short book, but very well researched, very funny to read (full of nods to pop culture), well written. It is, without a doubt, a very interesting subject, and this book only made me want to know more about it.
October 20, 2020
Pretty dull really. It has a light tone with a lot of humor, jokes, and puns; but this just weighs it down. While it is somewhat detailed and informative, and completely based on facts and science, it’s not really an engaging or engrossing book. I did enjoy the little drawings though.
I’d say it’s a good starter book into the genre of science fiction or a good starter book into the culture of space travel vs aliens. I felt it just could’ve done a better job at explaining intelligent life, the building blocks of life, and the history of how humans idolize space travel and their fear of being alone in the universe.
With the title being such a mouthful you’d think it would be a more fact based book with less sci-fi ideals, it comes off as more of a narrator from Hitchhiker’s Guide than anything.
I’d say it’s a good starter book into the genre of science fiction or a good starter book into the culture of space travel vs aliens. I felt it just could’ve done a better job at explaining intelligent life, the building blocks of life, and the history of how humans idolize space travel and their fear of being alone in the universe.
With the title being such a mouthful you’d think it would be a more fact based book with less sci-fi ideals, it comes off as more of a narrator from Hitchhiker’s Guide than anything.
December 14, 2020
What if we’re not alone in the universe? If there are aliens, where are they? What will they look like? How will we find/meet them?
Can we colonize the Moon? Or Mars? What is the prognosis for mankind?
Despite the author’s credentials, readers may find it difficult to take this book seriously since there’s an over-abundance of lame humor and cringeworthy jokes offered in what seems to be an attempt to “entertain” the reader. But the “humor” quickly wears thin and, after a while, readers are apt to feel more frustrated than informed. [However, a bibliography provides places for readers to find additional information.]
Readers searching for a studied, serious, or more in-depth discussion of the topic might consider looking elsewhere. Overall, “Out There” is simply disappointing.
Can we colonize the Moon? Or Mars? What is the prognosis for mankind?
Despite the author’s credentials, readers may find it difficult to take this book seriously since there’s an over-abundance of lame humor and cringeworthy jokes offered in what seems to be an attempt to “entertain” the reader. But the “humor” quickly wears thin and, after a while, readers are apt to feel more frustrated than informed. [However, a bibliography provides places for readers to find additional information.]
Readers searching for a studied, serious, or more in-depth discussion of the topic might consider looking elsewhere. Overall, “Out There” is simply disappointing.
December 19, 2019
Ако никога не си чел книги свързани с космоса и извънземните, "Някъде там" е едно подходящо начало. Ако ти е любопитна самата тема, най-вероятно няма да откриеш много нови неща в нея.
Книгата е написана е по един доста свеж и хумористичен начин, който е по-разбираем за феновете на фантастиката, но едва ли би достигнал до масовия читател. Из страниците са разпръснати и забавни илюстрации, които не претендират за сериозност.
Последните глави ми се сториха като пълнеж. Започнах книгата с идеята, че ще прочета неща за извънземните, а в някакъв момент темите вече обхващаха изкуствен интелект и смъртта на слънцето.
Все пак съм със сравнително положително отношение към "Някъде там".
Книгата е написана е по един доста свеж и хумористичен начин, който е по-разбираем за феновете на фантастиката, но едва ли би достигнал до масовия читател. Из страниците са разпръснати и забавни илюстрации, които не претендират за сериозност.
Последните глави ми се сториха като пълнеж. Започнах книгата с идеята, че ще прочета неща за извънземните, а в някакъв момент темите вече обхващаха изкуствен интелект и смъртта на слънцето.
Все пак съм със сравнително положително отношение към "Някъде там".
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