 Highly recommended |
| Review Date: December 19, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Todd Neff, Denver, Colo., USA |
Jeff Bennett is one of our great science communicators, an astrophysics Ph.D. with an uncommon gift for rendering opaque subjects in compelling, accessible prose. With "Beyond UFOs," Bennett has achieved something special. The volume spans seamlessly topics as diverse as radio astronomy, molecular biology, geophysics and science history, building a convincing case for his belief -- and clearly his hope -- that life is pervasive in the universe.
Though a scientist, teacher and bestselling textbook author (The Cosmic Perspective, the nation's top introductory astronomy textbook, is also his work), his tone here is conversational, that of a favorite uncle describing something about which he wants you to share his excitement -- in this case the idea that life teems throughout the cosmos. With as many stars in the universe as there are grains of sand on all the world's beaches, who's to argue with him?
The more of this book I read, the more I felt it should be required reading. A quick stop by the book's Web site (www.beyondufos.com) shows that it already is. In 2008, Miami of Ohio made it their pick for their Summer Reading Program for 3,700 incoming freshmen. Miami made a wise choice. This book, in addition to being a great read, will change -- I think for the better -- the way you think about creation and your role in it. |
Excellent Book about the search for extraterrestrial life
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| Review Date: June 1, 2008 |
| Reviewer: David J. Syzdek, Las Vegas, NV United States |
This book details on a layman's level, the state of the science and technology being used to search for life beyond earth.
Bennett does an excellent job explaining the process of science and the development of scientific ideas starting with ancient ideas about the universe and how scientific though has progressed (in fits and starts) to the current day. He also explains how scientific thought and religious beliefs can coexist and do not inherently contradict each other.
The book continues by examining the question of "What is Life" and the process of getting life started. After looking at the requirements of life on a planetary and star system scale, the book looks at the possibility of life throughout the solar system and then beyond. Bennett looks at the probability of extraterrestrial intelligence arising an asking the question: "... If civilizations really are as common as it seems they ought to be, shouldn't we by now have some real evidence for their existence?" Finally, Bennett looks at the social and cultural changes that we could possibly face if we learn of intelligent life in the universe.
This book is easy and enjoyable, and I recommend it for anyone who has an interest in astronomy, UFOs, or science. Even non-scientists would find it interesting. |
Great Book
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| Review Date: July 18, 2008 |
| Reviewer: T. L. Chartier, |
| This book is very scientific in it's approach to the topic. I learned a lot of interesting facts about other worlds, the universe and biology. Very well written. Great book! |
GREAT WORK!
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| Review Date: May 2, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Benjamin Grossman, Ph.D., New York, New York |
| This book opens up your mind and takes you to other dimensions of discoveries. It adds 10,000 miles to the length of your knowledge. A treasure!! |
Is there hope beyond UFO's?
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| Review Date: March 23, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Ted Byrd, |
| Beyond UFO's is one of the most well-intentioned popular science books I have read to date. But I feel the title may be a hindrance to achieving the author's goal as stated in his preface. Having written a textbook about the search for extraterrestrial life, the research he had done led him to a deeper realization of the related issue of life on earth, and the threats to that life being posed by our own ignorance. He firmly states his belief that the search for life beyond earth may help us overcome our "center of the universe syndrome"; that if we realize we are not special or unique in the universe, we might gain a more balanced perspective of our place in it, along with a heightened sense of responsibility to our home planet. He tells us that his goal was to write the book in a format that could be understood by anyone, in order to reach as many people as possible. The message is to be conveyed in terms of "real science". While he believes life elsewhere is likely, he is skeptical of claims that they have been seen here. So in the preface we are shown the philosophical framework of what follows. This is not a book that is aimed primarily at science sophisticates, and certainly not only to UFO enthusiasts. It's purpose is to raise the awareness of as many people as possible that contemplating this cosmic question of life brings us back to the need to act with maturity towards Earth. Unfortunately, if my response is indicative, these purposes are not conveyed very well by the title. When I saw the words "Beyond UFO's", my thought was that here was a book trying to out-sensationalize popular accounts of UFO crashes or abductions, perhaps by exposing some new form of alien manifestation. Since I am not of that persuasion, I almost reshelved the book when I happened to notice there were blurb recommendations on the back cover from people with scientific credentials, and decided to look further. Then I saw that the title meant going beyond the fascination with UFOs and making a truly scientific investigation into the likelihood of ET life. I found his comprehensive presentation of the inter-related issues of this subject to be both enjoyable and informative. It's true that someone who is jaded from reading many current popular science books would probably encounter a lot of old-to-them material. I am not that jaded, but I did encounter some familiar information from books I have read on evolution. However, I really did not mind the refresher, because my mind is not like a steel trap when it comes to retaining scientific learning. And while much or most of the material presented in this book may be elementary to a few savants, the vast majority of us could doubtless benefit greatly by reading what Mr. Bennett has so clearly laid out for us. His objective is not only to explain the search for ET life, but to promote the validity of scientific reasoning. He gives us basic criteria for recognizing whether ideas have scientific validity and shows that, according to these criteria, belief in either UFO's or Intelligent design cannot be properly called scientific theories. Then we are given guesstimates on the likelihood of Earth-like planets around other stars based on reasonable scientific assumptions. Further reasoning, using our knowledge of earth and the solar system as a guide, leads to estimates of the possibility of life, intelligent life, and, finally life that might have achieved interstellar travel. To reach these predictions we are escorted through lessons of biology, geology, evolution, and astronomy, as well as theories of star and planet formation. For my money, the author covers a lot of ground, does it understandably, bringing all the information together into a cohesive view of the universe as a place of marvelous generative and regenerative processes which favor the likelihood of life "out there". He often inserts the message into his text that humanity needs to grow up. I share his viewpoint, but have reservations that the irrationality demonstrated throughout human history can be discarded, even with the benefit of science and the quest for extraterrestrial life. Though Mr. Bennett has presented very reasonable statements about changes humanity needs to make -stop war, fight poverty,etc., I think his solutions may be somewhat idealistic. But that is for other readers to decide on their own. |
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