Astrobiology

Extraterrestrial life is a common theme in



science fiction, but is it a serious prospect in the real world? Astrobiology



is the emerging field of science that seeks to answer this question.



The possibility of life elsewhere in the cosmos



is one of the most profound subjects that human beings can ponder. Astrophysicist



Andrew May gives an expert overview of our current state of knowledge, looking



at how life started on Earth, the tell-tale 'signatures' it produces, and how



such signatures might be detected elsewhere in the Solar System or on the many 'exoplanets'



now being discovered by the Kepler and TESS missions.



Along the way the book addresses key questions such as the riddle of Fermi's



paradox ('Where is everybody?') and the crucial role of DNA and water – they're



essential to 'life as we know it', but is the same true of alien life? And the really



big question: when we eventually find extraterrestrials, will they be friendly



or hostile?



Andrew May is a freelance writer and former scientist, with a PhD in astrophysics. He has written five books in Icon's Hot Science series: Destination Mars, Cosmic Impact, Astrobiology, The Space Business and The Science of Music. He lives in Somerset.