Space, Life, Science and Stories: Our Recurring Interest in the Possibility of Cosmic Visitors

Carl L. DeVito

Nov 2019 · Cambridge Scholars Publishing

About this ebook

Some time ago, an unusual book sold over seventy million copies and was translated into twenty-eight languages. It dealt with the possibility of life from the cosmos visiting humanity. This was just one of many surges of public interest in this matter. Unfortunately, the scientific community rarely addresses the causes of these surges. This leaves many confused, not sure what to believe. Indeed, there are always those who try to exploit this confusion.

This book explores the causes of the surges, the stories they generate and the relevant science. It does not presuppose in-depth knowledge on the part of the reader, allowing them to become aware of the sciences behind these stories, and to judge them for themselves.

About the author

Carl L. DeVito, PhD, is a member of the emeritus faculty of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Arizona. He has developed one of the most widely-cited proposals for a language based on plausibly universal scientific concepts, and has contributed to several edited volumes on cosmic communication. His other scientific works include many papers on pure and applied mathematics, and the books Science, SETI and Mathematics (2014), Harmonic Analysis—A Gentle Introduction (2006), Functional Analysis and Linear Operator Theory (1990), and Functional Analysis (1978).