Preface; 1. Introduction; 2. What is life and where can it exist?; 3. Terrestrial planets and their diverging evolutions; 4. Searching for habitable sites in the outer Solar System; 5. A revolution in astronomy: the exploration of extrasolar planets; 6. Extraterrestrial inhabited sites in the future; Further reading; References; Index.
An engaging account of our quest for habitable environments, recounting fascinating recent discoveries and providing insight into future space missions.
Athena Coustenis is Director of Research at the French National Research Center (CNRS) and an astrophysicist at the Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique (LESIA) of Paris Observatory. She is Co-Investigator of three of the instruments (CIRS, HASI, DISR) aboard the Cassini/Huygens mission. Her expertise in space missions has allowed her to Chair and to contribute in several advisory groups within ESA and NASA. Dr Coustenis is currently President of the EGU Planetary Sciences Division and President of the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences, as well as Secretary of the Executive committee of the Division for Planetary Sciences. She is a member of several editorial boards and has been awarded several NASA and ESA achievement awards. She is also winner of the American Astonomical Society's 2014 Harold Masursky Award for outstanding service to planetary science and exploration. Thérèse Encrenaz is Senior Director of Research at CNRS and an astrophysicist at LESIA, Paris Observatory. She has been involved in many planetary space missions and has been a Mission Scientist of the European ISO (Infrared Space Observatory) mission. She has chaired the Science Advisory Committee of CNES for the exploration of the Universe. She is currently a member of the E-ELT Project Science Team and is also serving as Vice-President of the Scientific Council of the Region Ile de France. Dr Encrenaz is the author of more than 250 refereed articles, a few lecture books and a dozen of popular books. She has received several awards including the Silver Medal of CNRS and the David Bates Medal of the European Geophysical Union.
'A thorough tour of the possible abodes of life elsewhere in the
cosmos, Life Beyond Earth unifies the study of planets in a way
that should be more common but is still rare. Coustenis and
Encrenaz provide a clear and engaging exposition of planetary
habitability, giving an authoritative picture of the wealth of
information that we have on planets and the engaging mysteries that
remain unsolved.' Jonathan I. Lunine, Director, Center for
Radiophysics and Space Research, Cornell University, and author of
Earth: Evolution of a Habitable Planet
'A lot is happening in planetary science just now, with in-depth
exploration of our solar system underway, and announcements of the
discovery and characterisation of new worlds around other stars
happening nearly every week. This new book, by two of the world's
top planetary astronomers, describes the state-of-play in
accessible but authoritative terms, with an exciting focus on the
habitability of remote environments and the prospects for finding
life beyond Earth.' Fred Taylor, Emeritus Halley Professor of
Physics, University of Oxford
'A delightful introduction to the wonderful world of astrobiology
and the ongoing search for extraterrestrial life! Along with their
recognised expertise in planetary science and astrophysics, the
authors also exhibit a thorough understanding of the nature of life
and of the techniques that are being used to try to detect it. This
search will keep us busy for the next few generations.' James
Kasting, Pennsylvania State University
'There's no scientific question more interesting than whether the
life that carpets Earth is some sort of miracle, or merely an
unremarkable example of a common, cosmic phenomenon. This book
engagingly describes many fascinating missions and discoveries,
explaining why today's researchers think there's something alive
out there, and how they hope to find it.' Seth Shostak, Senior
Astronomer, SETI Institute, USA
'… [a] packed primer.' Nature
'It's hard to think of a better primer for anyone with an interest
in the prospects for life in the universe.' BBC Sky at Night
'Thorough and entertaining …' New Scientist
'Both eminent researchers in the fields of astrophysics and
planetary science (the authors) here train their considerable and
passion on the quest for extraterrestrial life.' The Times Higher
Education Supplement
'Excellent and eye-opening …' Fortean Times
'The question of life provides a compelling framework for the
discussion. It's also of course one we often get from students and
visitors. Can it exist elsewhere in the cosmos? What does
contemporary astronomy research say? Encrenaz and Coustenis provide
a rigorous though accessible introduction to the biochemical nature
of terrestrial life and use this as a lens to examine the rest of
the universe. … the authors do a great job of explaining why these
results will be so compelling for these overarching questions.'
Stephen Case, Planetarian
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