My dad is a NASA scientist. Believe me, I have received plenty of mind-blowing space talks in my lifetime thus far. Whether it be late night star gazing explanations on how they measure the universe in red and blue, or long car rides watching the original Carl Sagan Cosmos series, my mind has never ceased to be captivated by the wonders of our universe. But I have never been captivated that way by a book until I read this one. I think it is safe to say that everyone has had their mind blown by astrology at one point in their life. My first time was when I realized in 3rd grade that every single star in the night sky was an entire sun with planets and a solar system and everything, so far away that it was only a spec to us. This book was a series of mind-blowing experiences, one after the other. And not just on one level, but many. The immeasurable immensity of the universe, distance and solitude of our Earth from other planets and stars, the realization of how small we really are, and the inconceivably small time period the whole of human existence has played in the timeline of our solar system, and the improbability of the formation of life and the extent of its intelligent development are all explained in facts and numbers that are even more difficult to wrap your head around. This book will definitely leave you in awe. I have tried reading “sciency” books plenty of times, but rarely have I followed through. Most high level non-fiction books on subjects as large as astronomy and astrophysics tend to monotonously drone about very specific content that is honestly way above my own head. But this book was different. It wasn’t written by a college professor intended for a PhD audience, but rather by a scientific journalist, intended for a wide audience. Don’t get me wrong, the book still talks in depth about very knowledgeable things, but never without ensuring the reader has a clear understanding on it. The author makes no assumptions of the reader’s prior knowledge. This book is different because it is not solely facts and research, but also individual stories that give you emotional connection to not only the researchers but also the context they are striving to discover. The author structures the chapters around his personal encounters with 3 main people: Frank Drake, Jim Kasting, and Sara Seager. He also includes the stories and histories of countless other scientists from all throughout history. They are all striving to answer the essential question of this book: is there life among other stars? If so, will even the most advanced of modern technology ever make it reachable? Are we really in complete and desolate solitude in this colossal universe? However, I must admit this book isn’t for everyone. Scientific non-fiction in general isn’t for everyone. As interesting as all of that mind-blowing stuff may be, there must first be evidence to support it. It does go on for quite some time explaining how scientists came to a certain conclusion, which isn’t exactly as riveting to some as it is to others. Personally, most parts of the book I couldn’t put down, but others I had a hard time concentrating on. Even if you do get lost in some of the scientific explanations, the conclusions are still as amazing and mind-blowing. I would only recommend it for High School and up for the best reading experience. For anyone who is able and willing to follow, the book is well-worth the read.
By Lee Billings
My dad is a NASA scientist. Believe me, I have received plenty of mind-blowing space talks in my lifetime thus far. Whether it be late night star gazing explanations on how they measure the universe in red and blue, or long car rides watching the original Carl Sagan Cosmos series, my mind has never ceased to be captivated by the wonders of our universe. But I have never been captivated that way by a book until I read this one.
I think it is safe to say that everyone has had their mind blown by astrology at one point in their life. My first time was when I realized in 3rd grade that every single star in the night sky was an entire sun with planets and a solar system and everything, so far away that it was only a spec to us. This book was a series of mind-blowing experiences, one after the other. And not just on one level, but many. The immeasurable immensity of the universe, distance and solitude of our Earth from other planets and stars, the realization of how small we really are, and the inconceivably small time period the whole of human existence has played in the timeline of our solar system, and the improbability of the formation of life and the extent of its intelligent development are all explained in facts and numbers that are even more difficult to wrap your head around. This book will definitely leave you in awe.
I have tried reading “sciency” books plenty of times, but rarely have I followed through. Most high level non-fiction books on subjects as large as astronomy and astrophysics tend to monotonously drone about very specific content that is honestly way above my own head. But this book was different. It wasn’t written by a college professor intended for a PhD audience, but rather by a scientific journalist, intended for a wide audience. Don’t get me wrong, the book still talks in depth about very knowledgeable things, but never without ensuring the reader has a clear understanding on it. The author makes no assumptions of the reader’s prior knowledge.
This book is different because it is not solely facts and research, but also individual stories that give you emotional connection to not only the researchers but also the context they are striving to discover. The author structures the chapters around his personal encounters with 3 main people: Frank Drake, Jim Kasting, and Sara Seager. He also includes the stories and histories of countless other scientists from all throughout history. They are all striving to answer the essential question of this book: is there life among other stars? If so, will even the most advanced of modern technology ever make it reachable? Are we really in complete and desolate solitude in this colossal universe?
However, I must admit this book isn’t for everyone. Scientific non-fiction in general isn’t for everyone. As interesting as all of that mind-blowing stuff may be, there must first be evidence to support it. It does go on for quite some time explaining how scientists came to a certain conclusion, which isn’t exactly as riveting to some as it is to others. Personally, most parts of the book I couldn’t put down, but others I had a hard time concentrating on. Even if you do get lost in some of the scientific explanations, the conclusions are still as amazing and mind-blowing. I would only recommend it for High School and up for the best reading experience. For anyone who is able and willing to follow, the book is well-worth the read.