Alien Life Imagined: Communicating the Science and Culture of AstrobiologyCambridge University Press, 2013 - 276 pàgines One day, astrobiologists could make the most fantastic discovery of all time: the detection of complex extraterrestrial life. As space agencies continue to search for life in our Universe, fundamental questions are raised: are we awake to the revolutionary effects on human science, society and culture that alien contact will bring? And how is it possible to imagine the unknown? In this book, Mark Brake tells the compelling story of how the portrayal of extraterrestrial life has developed over the last two and a half thousand years. Taking examples from the history of science, philosophy, film and fiction, he showcases how scholars, scientists, film-makers and writers have devoted their energies to imagining life beyond this Earth. From Newton to Kubrick, and Lucian to H. G. Wells, this is a fascinating account for anyone interested in the extraterrestrial life debate, from general readers to amateur astronomers and undergraduate students studying astrobiology. |
Continguts
Kosmos aliens in ancient Greece | 1 |
The world turned upside down Copernicanism and the voyages of discovery | 46 |
In Newtons train pluralism and the system of the world | 89 |
Extraterrestrials in the early machine age | 132 |
After Darwin The War of the Worlds | 164 |
Altres edicions - Mostra-ho tot
Alien Life Imagined: Communicating the Science and Culture of Astrobiology Mark Brake Previsualització limitada - 2012 |
Frases i termes més freqüents
alien Anaximander ancient anthropocentric Aristarchus Aristotle Aristotle’s astrobiology astronomy Atomism Atomist believed biology bodies Bruno celestial centre century Chalmers Christian Copernican Copernicus cosmic cosmology cosmos creatures culture Cyrano Darwin Dick discovery divine Dyrcona Earth Einstein Epicurus evolution evolutionary exploration extraterrestrial Extraterrestrial Life Debate field film final finally find findings fire first fit five fixed stars Flammarion flow Fontenelle Galaxy Galileo geocentric Giordano Bruno God’s Godwin Greek heavens Heraclitus human Huygens ibid idea imagination infinite influence inhabitants intelligent journey Jupiter Kepler London Lucian Lucretius lunar Man’s Place Martians materialist Micromégas Moon motion narrative nature Newton orbit philosophers physics planetary planets Plato pluralist Plurality of Worlds Proctor Pythagorean question Roadside Picnic sceptical scholars science fiction scientific scientists SF Masterworks significant Solar System Solaris Somnium space sphere spyglass Stapledon Star Maker story telescope terrestrial theory things thought universe Voltaire voyage Wallace Wallace’s Whewell Whewell’s worldview