The Search for Life

Have you ever looked up at the night sky and thought, ‘Is there anybody out there?’ The stars you see are the suns of other solar systems, each system with its own complex story of formation and evolution, perhaps leading to an environment where life can exist. Since the time of the ancient Greeks, questions have been raised about whether there might be other worlds harbouring extraterrestrial life somewhere other than Earth. In The Search for Life, astronomer Hannah Baynard looks at the story of life on Earth, its origins and constituents, and considers the progress that has been made in the search for life in our Solar System and further afield. She explores the possibility of other life in the Universe, from extremophiles and the Wow! Signal, to the likelihood of contacting interstellar civilisations and the cutting-edge missions exploring our nearest neighbours, Banyard covers vast ground in this fascinating introduction to one of the most frequently asked questions in astronomy… Is there anyone or anything else out there?