What Does a Martian Look Like? by Jack Cohen
Most books about alien life are by astrophysicists, and spend their time arguing whether other planets and solar systems are habitable. This one is different. The authors point out that aqueous planets are common and where water exists life is likely. The test here is to find those features of life and evolution that are universal, and then to work out how they might have operated to produce life in other worlds. Along the way, the authors use examples of the aliens on offer via films, books and TV. Many have entirely reasonable biologies, others - cuddlies like ET, or dragons like the Alien - fail to measure up to the tests the authors set, but help narrow the search for the 'scientific alien'. The authors conclude that humans are not alone as intelligent entities, and that many others have appeared, and will appear, on other planets. And now, they argue, we can even surmise what they will look like and why.
Jack Cohen is an internationally known reproductive biologist, and co-author with Ian Stewart of The Collapse of Chaos (1994) and Figments of Reality (1997). Ian Stewart is Professor of Mathematics at Warwick University, and among his over 60 published books are Does God Play Dice? and (with Terry Pratchett and Jack Cohen) The Science of Discworld (1999).
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780091886165 |
| ISBN 10 | 0091886163 |
| Title | What Does a Martian Look Like? |
| Author | Jack Cohen |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Ebury Publishing |
| Year published | 2004-02-05 |
| Number of pages | 384 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |