Is There Anybody Out There?

by Dara Ó Briain

Science fiction meets science fact in this brand new hilarious book from one of the UK and Ireland’s best-loved comedians.

Genuinely qualified space expert, Dara O Briain, is here with all the answers to help you sort your science fiction from your science fact.
Includes:
• how life begins in the first place
• how Earth was created
• whether aliens might exist elsewhere in the Solar System
• the search for other planets like our own
• how we could possibly ever get there and . . .
• would we really meet aliens?
Alongside this runs the hilarious, but not very true story of Clara and her cat, Sputnik, who will join you on the journey of the book to help take you from novice alien-hunter to bona-fide space expert, with a brilliant final twist!
So, is there anybody out there?
NO.
(Well, maybe.)
And do aliens really exist?
Probably.
(Possibly.)

Genres: Science

304 pages, Hardcover

Published October 1, 2020

About the author

Dara Ó Briain is an Irish stand-up comedian and television presenter. He has hosted panel shows such as The Panel, Mock the Week and Dara O Briain: School of Hard Sums.

He has also featured on Don't Feed the Gondolas, Have I Got News For You, QI, The Apprentice: You're Fired! and Stargazing Live. The Irish Independent described him as "Terry Wogan's heir apparent as Britain's 'favourite Irishman'". Writing for The Evening Standard, Bruce Dessau noted that "If you don’t laugh at Ó Briain, check your pulse, you must be dead."

Since January 2006, Ó Briain has taken part in the BBC Three Men in a Boat series, with Rory McGrath and Griff Rhys Jones. The series, broadcast in a pair of episodes around new year in 2006 and then every year since 2008, has consistently had around 3 million viewers. In 2007, he was voted the 42nd greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups and again in the updated 2010 list as the 16th greatest stand-up comic.

He attended University College, Dublin (U.C.D.), where he studied mathematics and theoretical physics.

Reviews

[Ver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Generally, I liked the details explained about our world and the space. However, I didn't like when the author tried to be funny and gave some stupid comparisons e.g. big number is the amount of candy I could eat. I don't eat a lot of candy, not only that wasn't funny but I felt it was offensive to my intellect. I know the guy is supposed to be a comedian but stupid jokes don't appeal to me.

[Filip · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had trouble rating this book. In the end, I decided it wouldn't be fair if I cut a star for the "humour" and silly metaphors that made the book seem as if it had been written for children... because it probably had been written for them. Though I'm not sure if the facts given here were presented in a way that would be easy for kids to understand and grasp. Despite the title and the apparent topic of the book, there was precious little about aliens... but then again, there isn't much that can be written about them from scientific point of view. One can write "we don't know" in new ways only so many times.

In general, a very enjoyable book, trying to make the vastness of space more understandable, while explaining some possible (or impossible) ways of traversing it.

[suzie19 · Rating 4 out of 5]

ja jestem zachwycona, bardzo dużo wiedzy i humoru, wszystko przekazane w prosty, przystępny sposób, nic tylko czytać!

[Pi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Książka dla każdego - o świecie, który nas otacza, o jego tajemnicach. Wyjątkowo przystępnie napisana, wciągająca i do tego zabawna - CZY KTOŚ TAM JEST? zachęca czytelnika do odkrywania skarbów codzienności i patrzenia w gwizdy z odwagą i wiedzą.
Dara Ó Briain dowcipnie i z przekorą tłumaczy nam kosmiczne obyczaje, podszczypuje czytelnika, namawia do ruszenia makówką, do podążania za marzeniami. Autor ma wielką zdolność do tłumaczenia rzeczy naukowych z iskrzącą pasją i tą pasją obdarza każdego, kto po jego książkę sięgnie.
Jeśli chcecie przyjemnie przyswoić wiedzę o tym, jak powstało życie? czy OBCY są naprawdę obcy? jak na Marsie pływano kajakiem (a raczej dlaczego myślano, że pływano)? czym jest życie? jak roboty poszerzają horyzonty?, to bierzcie w łapki CZY KTOŚ TAM JEST? Ta książka naprawdę potrafi zadziwić i zaskoczyć - zawsze pozytywnie!
Na uwagę zasługuje cała konstrukcja tej pozycji. Ó Briain zadbał o to, by czytelnik się nie nudził. dostajemy opowieść w opowieści, komiks z bohaterami, z którymi można się polubić i fantastyczne opracowanie graficzne tekstu.
Ogromnie polubiłam ilustracje Luny Valentine - są ich ogromne ilości, ozdabiają każdą stronę i wprowadzają świetną, luźną atmosferę, co przy wiedzy... naukowej - jest arcyważne. Pomysłowość tej książki olśniewa i sprawia, że chce się szukać nowych informacji. Inspirująca skarbnica ciekawostek, które potrafią zmienić patrzenie na otaczający nas świat.
CZY KTOŚ TAM JEST?, to książka, którą świetnie wydano. Mamy twardą okładkę z błyszczącymi elementami, przyjemny papier, eleganckie szycie - cóż.. to bardzo dobry pomysł na prezent... dla siebie i dla innych.

obcy są wśród nas?
7/10
Wydawnictwo Wilga

[Andy Dainty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't be fooled by the title, this is a perfect follow up to Beyond The Sky: You and the Universe. It still has the perfect mix of science and humour and expands on elements from the first book. Although supposedly about searching for aliens, this book covers, how life developed on Earth following the Big Bang and then a deeper look into the other planets, both in our solar system and outside and explains how we know what we do about them.

[Sophie Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

Packed full of really interesting info. The purple coloured pages weren’t really for me, but in terms of content this is a great and comical introduction to the subject for kids (and adults).

[Roisin Riordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are so good
I love this one
Everything that would make a human freak out...well...he makes it sound fun

[S.D.123 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

[Maple Class · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it was very good because it was very funny but informative. It includes pages at the back for scientific notes. Also, it has a bit of a comic before every chapter.
By Freddie

[Nazarii Zanoz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Деколи гумор видавався мені надто специфішним, але дітьми, можливо, він сприймається куди краще. Загалом непогані пояснення без зайвих заплутувань

[Magdalena Poręba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bardzo ciekawa książka pokazująca różne perspektywy

[Mia Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing so funny and fascinating. Will continue to love Dara O’Brien and everything he writes.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probablemente mi libro favorito de los que ha escrito el autor. Me encanta, y es súper gracioso