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One of Ten Billion Earths: How we Learn about our Planet's Past and Future from Distant Exoplanets
Illustrated with breathtaking images of the Solar System and of the Universe around it, this book explores how the discoveries within the Solar System and of exoplanets far beyond it come together to help us understand the habitability of Earth, and how these findings guide the search for exoplanets that could support life. The author highlights how, within two decades of the discovery of the first planets outside the Solar System in the 1990s, scientists concluded
that planets are so common that most stars are orbited by them.
The lives of exoplanets and their stars, as of our Solar System and its Sun, are inextricably interwoven. Stars are the seeds around which planets form, and they provide light and warmth for as long as they shine. At the end of their lives, stars expel massive amounts of newly forged elements into deep space, and that ejected material is incorporated into subsequent generations of planets.
How do we learn about these distant worlds? What does the exploration of other planets tell us about Earth? Can we find out what the distant future may have in store for us? What do we know about exoworlds and starbirth, and where do migrating hot Jupiters, polluted white dwarfs, and free-roaming nomad planets fit in? And what does all that have to do with the habitability of Earth, the possibility of finding extraterrestrial life, and the operation of the globe-spanning network of the
sciences?
that planets are so common that most stars are orbited by them.
The lives of exoplanets and their stars, as of our Solar System and its Sun, are inextricably interwoven. Stars are the seeds around which planets form, and they provide light and warmth for as long as they shine. At the end of their lives, stars expel massive amounts of newly forged elements into deep space, and that ejected material is incorporated into subsequent generations of planets.
How do we learn about these distant worlds? What does the exploration of other planets tell us about Earth? Can we find out what the distant future may have in store for us? What do we know about exoworlds and starbirth, and where do migrating hot Jupiters, polluted white dwarfs, and free-roaming nomad planets fit in? And what does all that have to do with the habitability of Earth, the possibility of finding extraterrestrial life, and the operation of the globe-spanning network of the
sciences?
480 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 28, 2018
5 people are currently reading
1012 people want to read
About the author
Karel Schrijver
8 books27 followersKAREL SCHRIJVER is an astrophysicist studying the magnetism of stars, in particular of the nearest star, our life-enabling Sun. Together with his wife, a physician, he wrote "Living with the stars", about the connections between the human body and the Universe. The discovery of exoplanets and the unfolding of fascinating insights into distant worlds triggered his popular science work "One of ten billion Earths".
His most recent book, "The White Prison," is a first-contact sci-fi novel. In this standalone sequel to the author's IMMERSION, astronauts inhabit a comfortable AI-generated world while they explore the hostile real-world setting of Saturn's moon Enceladus. Once they learn to communicate with the alien life form, they find striking parallels between the Enceladeans and themselves. When the probe's crew discovers the foundation of Enceladus' ecosystem, they have to decide how to protect Earth and Enceladus from greed, destruction, and all-out war.
Visit my website for a chance for a free copy of the audio version of his first sci-fi book: IMMERSION (US/UK only).
He lives and works near Portland, Oregon.
His most recent book, "The White Prison," is a first-contact sci-fi novel. In this standalone sequel to the author's IMMERSION, astronauts inhabit a comfortable AI-generated world while they explore the hostile real-world setting of Saturn's moon Enceladus. Once they learn to communicate with the alien life form, they find striking parallels between the Enceladeans and themselves. When the probe's crew discovers the foundation of Enceladus' ecosystem, they have to decide how to protect Earth and Enceladus from greed, destruction, and all-out war.
Visit my website for a chance for a free copy of the audio version of his first sci-fi book: IMMERSION (US/UK only).
He lives and works near Portland, Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 7, 2022
Exoplanets, planets beyond our solar system, planets circling other stars. Exoworlds and starbirth, migrating hot Jupiters, polluted white dwarfs, and free-roaming nomad planets. Once this would sound like science fiction, but now they are real!
Times change. When I went to school my teachers told me "that Earth was the only habitual planet in the universe, that other stars did not or could not have earth-like planets. And besides the stars were so far away that we would never know anything abut them. Now stop looking out the window and get back to studying the French verbs."
In Karel Schrijver's book all that had changed!
The author highlights how, within two decades of the discovery of the first planets outside the Solar System in the 1990s, scientists concluded that planets are so common that most stars are orbited by them.
Earth, the Sun and all the planets are part of a great dance of creation, expansion, change and death.
The lives of exoplanets and their stars, as of our Solar System and its Sun, are inextricably interwoven. Stars are the seeds around which planets form, and they provide light and warmth for as long as they shine. At the end of their lives, stars expel massive amounts of newly forged elements into deep space, and that ejected material is incorporated into subsequent generations of planets.
How is it possible to know all this about the universe?
With exciting language, and even some quotes from science fiction greats such as Star Trek, the author takes you on a journey through time and space.
Now that I am back on the "pale blue dot" we call Earth I can share this expansive study with you.
P. S. You do not need to be a rocket scientist to appreciate it.
Enjoy!
Times change. When I went to school my teachers told me "that Earth was the only habitual planet in the universe, that other stars did not or could not have earth-like planets. And besides the stars were so far away that we would never know anything abut them. Now stop looking out the window and get back to studying the French verbs."
In Karel Schrijver's book all that had changed!
The author highlights how, within two decades of the discovery of the first planets outside the Solar System in the 1990s, scientists concluded that planets are so common that most stars are orbited by them.
Earth, the Sun and all the planets are part of a great dance of creation, expansion, change and death.
The lives of exoplanets and their stars, as of our Solar System and its Sun, are inextricably interwoven. Stars are the seeds around which planets form, and they provide light and warmth for as long as they shine. At the end of their lives, stars expel massive amounts of newly forged elements into deep space, and that ejected material is incorporated into subsequent generations of planets.
How is it possible to know all this about the universe?
With exciting language, and even some quotes from science fiction greats such as Star Trek, the author takes you on a journey through time and space.
Now that I am back on the "pale blue dot" we call Earth I can share this expansive study with you.
P. S. You do not need to be a rocket scientist to appreciate it.
Enjoy!
March 13, 2019
I keep hoping to find a book about exoplanets that will wow me like Neutrino Hunters by Ray Jayawardhana, but every book on exoplanets seems to just provides facts without any fo the awe I need to really fall in love with a book. This was no exception. Still waiting to be wowed.
February 28, 2019
A little too granular on a very specific topic. it was hard towards the end to still pay attention. I am also confused about how likely live on other planets is.
October 5, 2019
This book digs deep, down to the core, of planetary creation, our solar system, and the Universe.
As I listened to the audio version of this book, the more excited I became. A huge amount of research on exoplanets, the habitability zones, and the astronomical amount of possible Earths that could exist.
The author explains much of the scientific facts in terms where most will understand, at least the concepts. I'll admit, some was beyond me, but the fact that the amount of detail already put into this subject, and that more is still being done, makes me think that if more time was spent on a common goal, where could we be right now?
A very cool read for the stargazer, the Astronomy learner, and the open-minded, of what is out in the Universe.
As I listened to the audio version of this book, the more excited I became. A huge amount of research on exoplanets, the habitability zones, and the astronomical amount of possible Earths that could exist.
The author explains much of the scientific facts in terms where most will understand, at least the concepts. I'll admit, some was beyond me, but the fact that the amount of detail already put into this subject, and that more is still being done, makes me think that if more time was spent on a common goal, where could we be right now?
A very cool read for the stargazer, the Astronomy learner, and the open-minded, of what is out in the Universe.
April 28, 2019
One of Ten Billion Earths takes a detailed look at exoplanets, the planets that orbit stars beyond our own solar system. While it has essentially no mathematics (it does use big numbers though), it is an amazingly complete look at the astronomy behind exoplanets including how we discover them, what are some interesting examples that have been found and what they tell us about our own Earth and solar system.
Karel Schrijver is not as eloquent as Carl Sagan or Neil deGrasse Tyson and occasionally it shows, but One in Ten Billion Earths is a good book if you are interested in the topic and already have more than a cursory knowledge of astronomy.
Karel Schrijver is not as eloquent as Carl Sagan or Neil deGrasse Tyson and occasionally it shows, but One in Ten Billion Earths is a good book if you are interested in the topic and already have more than a cursory knowledge of astronomy.
November 23, 2018
Great book.
April 28, 2024
Good on Earth's Geology but not so Good on Exoplanet's Implications on Earth's Geology
This is a review of the audiobook edition of this work
This book provides a very good overview of astrogeology with particular emphasis on Earth's distant past. Most of this, however, is based on little on distant exoplanets but comes from standard geological knowledge, in the field, of earth (that is independent of astrogeology). The same applies to most of what is put forth on the book on exoplanets. The direction of causality is not so much from what we know of the exoplanets to the earth, as the title implies, but from standard geological knowledge of Earth applied to the exoplanets. Very ironic considering the title of the book.
Another weakness, in this reviewer's opinion, is that it does not do that good of a job at supporting the author's contention that there are, in his opinion, ten billion earth-like planets. The extrapolation of astrogeological facts towards this conclusion is weak.
The book does a good job at surveying astronomy related to systems that have exoplanets and the Implications of that to exoplanets. It also does a decent job at putting forth hypothesis related to the geology of exoplanets. Considering the limited knowledge, we have on these though the word hypothesis cannot be stressed above.
With respect to the performance of the audiobook it Is quite average (or, more exact, slightly below average). This audiobook is a real challenge with respect to keeping one awake, never mind keeping one enthusiastic about the topic.
This is a review of the audiobook edition of this work
This book provides a very good overview of astrogeology with particular emphasis on Earth's distant past. Most of this, however, is based on little on distant exoplanets but comes from standard geological knowledge, in the field, of earth (that is independent of astrogeology). The same applies to most of what is put forth on the book on exoplanets. The direction of causality is not so much from what we know of the exoplanets to the earth, as the title implies, but from standard geological knowledge of Earth applied to the exoplanets. Very ironic considering the title of the book.
Another weakness, in this reviewer's opinion, is that it does not do that good of a job at supporting the author's contention that there are, in his opinion, ten billion earth-like planets. The extrapolation of astrogeological facts towards this conclusion is weak.
The book does a good job at surveying astronomy related to systems that have exoplanets and the Implications of that to exoplanets. It also does a decent job at putting forth hypothesis related to the geology of exoplanets. Considering the limited knowledge, we have on these though the word hypothesis cannot be stressed above.
With respect to the performance of the audiobook it Is quite average (or, more exact, slightly below average). This audiobook is a real challenge with respect to keeping one awake, never mind keeping one enthusiastic about the topic.
July 25, 2023
One of 10 Billion chapters!!! This was spectacularly detailed and covered so much, but almost too much. I found myself zoning out a lot and listening to it like background noise. Probably doesn’t help that’s it’s the third space audiobook I’ve listened to in a row, I might be a bit non-fiction fatigued.
December 22, 2021
Very mundane writing. Not worth the time.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews