Overview

A theoretical physicist's grand tour of how life emerged on Earth and how human civilization will begin expanding beyond our home planet. This is a theoretical physicist's grand tour of how life emerged on Earth and, perhaps most importantly, how human civilization will begin expanding beyond our home planet. According to Dr. Adriana Marais, living on more than one planet is an inevitability of becoming a more advanced society, but the process of getting there will provide us with the essential tools for better stewardship of our own. Humanity has always looked up at the night sky and wondered what lies beyond our world. Now, we are on the precipice of stepping out among the stars, not just as lone astronauts or billionaire tech bros, but as a civilization. Our story is one of curiosity and an innate desire to explore and understand not only the world around us, but the world within us, and the worlds above us, from extremophiles to extraterrestrials, technosignatures to terraforming, DNA to Dyson Spheres. In this sweeping treatise on exploration, innovation, and human ingenuity, theoretical physicist Dr. Adriana Marais seeks to answer the questions that stand at the heart of scientific endeavor: What are the building blocks of life and how does life emerge? Are we alone in the universe and if so, why? How did we get here--and where are we going next?

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9781639368815

Table of Contents

Reviews

""This beautiful, beginner-friendly guide to physics and space exploration opens with theoretical physicist Marais's sense of wonder, which she shares and expounds on with each chapter. For readers wondering what it means for humanity to be both made of stardust and reaching for galaxies far beyond us, this book will provide history and science in a deeply personal, relevant way, sure to inspire flights of fancy and of facts.""-- ""Library Journal"" A breathtaking journey from the Big Bang to the tantalizing threshold of a general theory of life and its future (and ours) in the cosmos.--Bruce Damer, astrobiologist A fascinating and thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of life, the universe, and the future of humanity. Immensely readable, with a focus on the most profound questions of existence, such as the possibility of extraterrestrial life and humanity's place in the universe, Marais challenges readers to consider not just the scientific and technological possibilities but the ethical responsibilities of our species. One can only hope that Elon Musk will pick up a copy.--Jonathan Morrison, correspondent for The Times (London)

Author Information

Dr. Adriana Marais is an award-winning theoretical physicist and internationally renowned advocate for off-world exploration. Her PhD and postdoctoral work in quantum biology focused on photosynthesis and the origins of the building blocks of life in space. She was Head of Innovation at SAP Africa between 2017 and 2019 and is currently a Director at the Foundation for Space Development Africa. In 2020, she was among five global finalists for Women in Tech's Most Disruptive Woman in Tech Award, and Adriana was one of 100 candidates selected for Mars One, the Dutch effort to land the first humans on Mars with the plan to establish a permanent human colony.

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