‘Astrobiology: Understanding Life in the Universe’ by Charles S. Cockell
As far as textbooks go, a tome on astrobiology is a peculiarly difficult beast to get right. The interdisciplinary science of astrobiology is very broad, reaching across many different fields, and so not only does a textbook need to balance this breadth of diverse subject matter with the meaningful depth of coverage of each topic, but it also has to be comprehensible for students from very different backgrounds. Yet Cockell pulls this trick off admirably well in this latest textbook introducing the field. ‘Astrobiology: Understanding Life in the Universe’ is based on...
Read More‘One Plus One Equals One: Symbiosis and the evolution of complex life’ by John Archibald
One Plus One Equals One by John Archibald is a very interesting and entertaining book about endosymbiosis. It gave a historical overview of the topic, from how scientists first discovered microbes to the questions that remain unanswered at present. At the same time, the author introduces and explains thoroughly a lot of basic concepts in biology throughout the story. These include the original proposals for the tree of life and how it changed multiple times over the past couple of centuries. Similarly, fundamentals in cellular and molecular biology are addressed very well. In this way, the...
Read More‘Living with the Stars’ by Karel Schrijver and Iris Schrijver
Astrobiology, and the search for life beyond the Earth, is deeply interdisciplinary and combines elements of biology with planetary science and physics and astronomy. In this new book, the marital partnership of Karel and Iris Schrijver combine their backgrounds as a physician and an astrophysicist (a fusion they jokingly refer to as an ‘astrophysician’) to explore all the ways that humanity, and indeed all life on Earth, is inextricably linked to the fabric of the planet we live on, as well as the surrounding cosmos as a whole. Through its chapters, ‘Living with the Stars’ covers many...
Read MoreDrilling in Extreme Environments by Bar-Cohen & Zacny (eds.)
With the title, “Drilling in Extreme Environments” and a Foreword by Harrison “Jack” Schmitt (Apollo 17 Astronaut & geologist), you know that you probably have a good read, but also, a rich resource of very relevant information if your business is the exploration of other worlds. The book is edited by Yoseph Bar-Cohen and Kris Zacny, both giants in their fields, with contributions from over 30 international experts who specialise in both terrestrial and planetary drilling. If you like pictures in a book, you will not be disappointed, this one is loaded with informative tables, photos,...
Read MoreThe Milky Way: An Insider’s Guide by William H. Waller.
This book offers an intimate guide to our home galaxy, the Milky Way. It is written in an enthusiastic, playful way, using simple yet elegant language to explain some pretty in-depth topics. The book begins with a description of the different structures that make up the Milky Way, such as globular clusters, gas clouds and the many kinds of star. Waller then describes how various cultures and mythologies across the world have attempted to explain the cosmos, and how the rise of science has led to our present understanding. Early astronomy was purely visual, but the discovery and use of the...
Read MoreAstrochemistry and Astrobiology by Smith, Cockell & Leach
Astrochemistry and Astrobiology is a very comprehensive work, covering all the main topics in astrobiology and astrochemistry, showing and explaining the links between the two subjects. The text is clear and easy to follow, even for who have only a rough idea about the topics treated in it. The authors follow a top-down approach, going from general concepts in astrochemistry, like the distribution of organic compounds in space or extrasolar planet identification, star formation and stellar chemical reactions, to a deeper and more complex evaluation of the phenomenon of life and all the...
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