Is Anyone Out There?

Rating:
Summary: No Greater Discovery for the People of Planet Earth
Review: =====>

This book tells us the fascinating history of the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence (SETI). In addition, this is a science book, explaining the science that's needed to undertake such a challenging task (a task similar to "hunting for a needle in a cosmic haystack"). Lastly, this is an autobiographical book that profiles the life of coauthor Dr. Frank Drake (born: 1930), the first person in human history to use a radio telescope to search for other civilizations in space and who is now known as "the father of SETI."

What struck me when reading this book (first published in 1992) was Drake's unyielding enthusiasm for the strong possibility of discovering signals from an extraterrestrial civilization. In fact, he states, "This discovery...I fully expect to witness before the year 2000." The fact that a signal has not been detected "simply mean[s] that we [have] not looked long enough or hard enough."

Here's just some of what you'll learn about when reading this book:

(1) Project Ozma (performed in 1960) which was "the first modern radio search for extraterrestrial signals of intelligent origin."
(2) The creation of the Drake Equation in 1961 which is a "formula for estimating the number of advanced intelligent civilizations" in the Galaxy.
(3) SETI and the Soviets.
(4) Interstellar travel versus interstellar radio communication.
(5) The intriguing WOW! signal which was detected in 1977 (a signal that has never been repeated and is the best evidence for extraterrestrial intelligence).
(6) A radio message sent out by Drake and others in 1974 to hopefully be detected by other intelligent civilizations.
(7) What will happen if signals are detected and the profound significance of such signals for the people of planet Earth.

In addition, this book has, what I call, a "SETI glossay". Here, you'll find a list of defined terms that are unique to SETI.

Also, there are three appendices. In these, you'll discover that there has been nearly sixty projects or searches (up to 1992) for signals since the first project of 1960. As well, I was amazed at how many respected scientists from many disciplines were/are connected directly or indirectly with SETI. Some names include Carl Sagan, Freeman Dyson, Francis Crick (Noble Prize winner), Stephen Hawking, Fred Hoyle, and Linus Pauling (two-time Nobel Prize winner). From seeing these names I thus have to agree with Drake when he says that "SETI is considered mainstream science."

Finally, there are thirty black-and-white photographs located near the center of the book. Many are photos of those people who have been or now are deeply involved with SETI.

The SETI Institute (located in Mountain View, California), as this book explains, was founded in late 1984. Its "mission is to explore, understand, and explain the origin, nature, prevalence, and distribution of life in the universe." As well, this institute has a website making it possible for people who have internet access to stay up-to-date with what's happening in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

In conclusion, if you can obtain a copy of this unique book, you will discover that "SETI is...the most technical of scientific subjects, and also the most human."

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Rating:
Summary: An unexpected dissapointment...
Review: Buying this book, i was expecting to a) read about SETI b) be introduced into thinking about the possibility of extraterrestrial life in new ways, as this book, written by Frank Drake one of the men responsible for the establishment of SETI would be a great source..
Instead: i wound up reading an autobiography disguised under the title "Is there anybody out there", a title which also disguises the fact that Drake spends more time and pages writting about the problems he encountered setting up SETI than SETI itself. Not to mention that he uses all 300 pages of his book to praise himself in a way that makes you yawn once you become familiar with the mechanism it is written. Indeed for a book that tackles an otherwise super interesting and controversial issue the book is boring. It's totally devoid of any humor and any attempts at such are further contributions to boredom. What's even more interesting is that for an author who clearly believes there is intelligent life out there he uses but a mere 2-3 pages to dismiss any accounts of aliens having already visited earth, recently or not so recently..2-3 pages to dismiss that? Hmmm, makes you wonder...In the end, after having (thankfully) been through with it i wound up thinking more about the motives behind Drake having written it than the book itself. Buy something else on the subject. Blindly.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting reminiscences of a SETI pioneer
Review: Forty-three years ago, astronomer Frank Drake was the first to conduct a search for radio signals that might be evidence of an alien civilization beyond our solar system. He has remained active in the scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) ever since. Drake founded the non-profit SETI Institute, whose Project Phoenix is the most powerful of the current radio astronomy searches.

This accessible book, co-written with journalist Dava Sobel, is partly an autobiography and partly a non-technical survey of SETI. Drake tells both stories in an easily readable way. If you want a painless introduction to the radio astronomy search, this is as good as any.