Scan barcode
bakudreamer's review against another edition
2.0
Both Davies and Shostak agree that anything past us has hit ' post-biological ' a long time ago ( so what we're looking for are machines )
He also agrees that sending signals ( METI ) is a very bad idea. ( But you can't stop anyone with the capabiliy to do so from doing it )
He also agrees that sending signals ( METI ) is a very bad idea. ( But you can't stop anyone with the capabiliy to do so from doing it )
themuffinjoke's review against another edition
5.0
A bit Eurocentric for my tastes, but absolutely fascinating, even if most of the sciencey mumbo-jumbo went right over my head.
socraticgadfly's review against another edition
5.0
Why we haven't made "contact" yet ...
The "Contact" is capitalized to riff on the Carl Sagan-based movie of Jodie Foster's.
And, Sagan, along with SETI founder Frank Drake, was the most unabashed ... and most fluffing ... booster of SETI around.
I've long held that the numerical values Drake and Sagan plugged into most of the variables in Drake's Equation weren't just "optimistic," they were ridiculous.
And, now, a serious SETItian (gotta have a whale of a pun in this review, too, eh?) agrees.
Davies says why traditional SETI ideas are so cockeyed optimistic, with detail. But not just that.
He also carefully explains how we have likely been, "Looking for aliens in all the wrong places," not too mention all the wrong ways and more.
In short, to riff on a Web term, Davies explicitly calls for SETI 2.0 to start up - now.
That said, he thinks that it's quite likely that, in our galaxy at least, no matter how strange the possibilities of alien life might be ... it just isn't there.
He even wonders if the thirst, the yen for SETI to pan out, on some people's parts, isn't almost religious. (Note 1: Given Davies' background, that could be considered ironic, hypocritical, or a bit of both. Note 2: I've thought the same, in light of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, to many cosmologists' pre-dark energy lusting after the idea of a closed universe to be real.)
Anyway, this is THE book to read on why ET is not phoning home from Earth, or isn't phoning into Earth in the first place.
The "Contact" is capitalized to riff on the Carl Sagan-based movie of Jodie Foster's.
And, Sagan, along with SETI founder Frank Drake, was the most unabashed ... and most fluffing ... booster of SETI around.
I've long held that the numerical values Drake and Sagan plugged into most of the variables in Drake's Equation weren't just "optimistic," they were ridiculous.
And, now, a serious SETItian (gotta have a whale of a pun in this review, too, eh?) agrees.
Davies says why traditional SETI ideas are so cockeyed optimistic, with detail. But not just that.
He also carefully explains how we have likely been, "Looking for aliens in all the wrong places," not too mention all the wrong ways and more.
In short, to riff on a Web term, Davies explicitly calls for SETI 2.0 to start up - now.
That said, he thinks that it's quite likely that, in our galaxy at least, no matter how strange the possibilities of alien life might be ... it just isn't there.
He even wonders if the thirst, the yen for SETI to pan out, on some people's parts, isn't almost religious. (Note 1: Given Davies' background, that could be considered ironic, hypocritical, or a bit of both. Note 2: I've thought the same, in light of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, to many cosmologists' pre-dark energy lusting after the idea of a closed universe to be real.)
Anyway, this is THE book to read on why ET is not phoning home from Earth, or isn't phoning into Earth in the first place.
stanwj's review against another edition
4.0
Paul Davies, the chair of SETI's Post-Detection Science and Technology Taskgroup, wrote The Eerie Silence in 2010, a short time after the Kepler space telescope launched. Back then a handful of exoplanets (planets outside our solar system) had been discovered. Since then Kepler alone has confirmed over 2,300 exoplanets and estimates for the observable universe go as high as 5.3 trillion.
That's a lot of planets.
And yet seven years later, the eerie silence Davies wrote about persists. You might think that over 50 years of observation by SETI failing to yield any tangible results would be disheartening and indeed, Davies does admit it can be a little depressing when you focus solely on the lack of any clear signal that we are not alone in the universe. But he remains hopeful that life here is not a one-time fluke among the billions of star systems. That hope is tempered by his adherence to the scientific method, of observation and testing, with minimal speculation.
It is that speculation, though, that forms the heart of the book. Davies presents comprehensive scenarios on how other planets might support life, what that life might be like, how alien races might communicate with us--or if they would even bother. He takes a dim view on fictional portrayals of aliens as malevolent beings looking to wipe us out and constantly warns against falling into the trap of anthropocentric thought. H notes that we might not even recognize aliens because they could exist in a state we can't comprehend.
Davies also spends time covering how SETI and others would handle the world-changing confirmation of other intelligent life (he doesn't put much stock in politicians or government handling it well).
In all, this is a wonderfully detailed and engaging look into the possibility of life beyond Earth. Davies keeps coming up with unique angles on how to approach looking for signs of communication--whether intentional or incidental, on how other intelligent beings might act and evolve, and why he is still passionate about continuing the search for other intelligent species beyond the confines of our solar system.
Highly recommended.
That's a lot of planets.
And yet seven years later, the eerie silence Davies wrote about persists. You might think that over 50 years of observation by SETI failing to yield any tangible results would be disheartening and indeed, Davies does admit it can be a little depressing when you focus solely on the lack of any clear signal that we are not alone in the universe. But he remains hopeful that life here is not a one-time fluke among the billions of star systems. That hope is tempered by his adherence to the scientific method, of observation and testing, with minimal speculation.
It is that speculation, though, that forms the heart of the book. Davies presents comprehensive scenarios on how other planets might support life, what that life might be like, how alien races might communicate with us--or if they would even bother. He takes a dim view on fictional portrayals of aliens as malevolent beings looking to wipe us out and constantly warns against falling into the trap of anthropocentric thought. H notes that we might not even recognize aliens because they could exist in a state we can't comprehend.
Davies also spends time covering how SETI and others would handle the world-changing confirmation of other intelligent life (he doesn't put much stock in politicians or government handling it well).
In all, this is a wonderfully detailed and engaging look into the possibility of life beyond Earth. Davies keeps coming up with unique angles on how to approach looking for signs of communication--whether intentional or incidental, on how other intelligent beings might act and evolve, and why he is still passionate about continuing the search for other intelligent species beyond the confines of our solar system.
Highly recommended.
jvan's review against another edition
3.0
A bit dry, but an interesting reassessment of what SETI is and should be. Did I mention it was dry, though?
raviwarrier's review against another edition
4.0
"Are we alone in the Universe?", is a question that has dogged mankind for a very long time now. In fact, the question of the cosmic imperative is almost as old as those of philosophy and spirituality.
Paul Davies, a renowned physicist, brings to light the many scientific arguments in favor and against the possibility of extra-terrestrial intelligence life-forms in the Universe. For anyone interested in the SETI (Search for ET Intelligence) projects, this is a definitive primer to be brought up to speed on the developments in SETI research.
Whether you are a believer or not, either ways it will help you re-evaluate your stand on the subject.
Brilliant and yet easy on the mind!
Paul Davies, a renowned physicist, brings to light the many scientific arguments in favor and against the possibility of extra-terrestrial intelligence life-forms in the Universe. For anyone interested in the SETI (Search for ET Intelligence) projects, this is a definitive primer to be brought up to speed on the developments in SETI research.
Whether you are a believer or not, either ways it will help you re-evaluate your stand on the subject.
Brilliant and yet easy on the mind!
larrys's review against another edition
4.0
Whenever I read/watch anything about aliens -- fiction or non-fiction -- I'm always disappointed if I get to the end and there are no aliens. Okay, I know there are no aliens that we know of. But still.
If you have a high tolerance for speculation, this is the book for you. I really enjoyed it but when I tried to talk to my husband about it he said he can't stand speculative non-fiction ideas like those -- it just does his head in -- which must be a more exaggerated type of disappointment I feel to get to the end and realise, nope, no aliens yet.
Lots to think about in here though, and it's about life on Earth as much as it is about life out there.
If you have a high tolerance for speculation, this is the book for you. I really enjoyed it but when I tried to talk to my husband about it he said he can't stand speculative non-fiction ideas like those -- it just does his head in -- which must be a more exaggerated type of disappointment I feel to get to the end and realise, nope, no aliens yet.
Lots to think about in here though, and it's about life on Earth as much as it is about life out there.
whatsheread's review
3.0
Are we or aren't we alone in the universe? Mr. Davies presents valid points for both sides of the argument. Because of the hypothetical nature of any of his points, a reader may find some of his more esoteric of his conclusions difficult to follow. As befits Mr. Davies' background, there is a heavy reliance on theoretical physics. While he does an admirable job of trying to explain the science behind the ideas, the science itself is at too advanced a level for the masses. Nutrinos, cosmic rays, quantum physics - while interesting, it can be mind-numbing and difficult to follow.
Mr. Davies shines when presenting more theological and social implications for the eerie silence. Granted, no matter what the outcome, the implications for mankind are scary and rather depressing, an effect Mr. Davies himself acknowledges.
The Eerie Silence is a fascinating study of reasons why being alone in the universe, or that we will most likely never make contact, is more probable than the idea that the universe is teeming with life. Mankind has, to date, taken for granted the idea that ET exists, but after fifty years, it may be time to make some adjustments in our assumptions. Mr. Davies makes a great case for the fact that should extraterrestrial life exist, it most likely will be either microbial or machine in nature rather than humanoid.
In spite of some of the difficulties with the more hypothetical nature of the arguments, Mr. Davies presents his ideas clearly and concisely. His use of mathematics and well-known scientific laws helps make his theories more plausible and the book more enjoyable, even if they are at such a level that automatically precludes enjoyment by a large portion of the population. His image of possible alien life is extraordinarily rich and detailed, making it easy for a reader to be able to envision these possible life forms. The result is a rich and varied presentation on the possibilities behind
The Eerie Silence and suggestions for how to work around our current constraints.
Mr. Davies shines when presenting more theological and social implications for the eerie silence. Granted, no matter what the outcome, the implications for mankind are scary and rather depressing, an effect Mr. Davies himself acknowledges.
The Eerie Silence is a fascinating study of reasons why being alone in the universe, or that we will most likely never make contact, is more probable than the idea that the universe is teeming with life. Mankind has, to date, taken for granted the idea that ET exists, but after fifty years, it may be time to make some adjustments in our assumptions. Mr. Davies makes a great case for the fact that should extraterrestrial life exist, it most likely will be either microbial or machine in nature rather than humanoid.
In spite of some of the difficulties with the more hypothetical nature of the arguments, Mr. Davies presents his ideas clearly and concisely. His use of mathematics and well-known scientific laws helps make his theories more plausible and the book more enjoyable, even if they are at such a level that automatically precludes enjoyment by a large portion of the population. His image of possible alien life is extraordinarily rich and detailed, making it easy for a reader to be able to envision these possible life forms. The result is a rich and varied presentation on the possibilities behind
The Eerie Silence and suggestions for how to work around our current constraints.
More...