The second edition is a good book but some of the information is a little outdated as we have now found many exoplanets.
The second edition INMO is a good textbook to teach general science, astronomy, some chemistry and some physics to a high school class or maybe parts to a freshman college science course. The essential science does not go out of date like the various methods scientists use to find the distance to stars and their compositions. There are nice colored pictures of galaxies, nebulae and star clusters as well as an assortment of black and white photos and diagrams.
The use of the scientific method and experiment verification is discussed and why it so important to scientific investigation. Early theories of the origin of life are discussed. The loss of being able to verify life's origin on earth is discussed as the earths surface has weathered and much of the surface has been brought back under the earths crust so its impossible to verify possible earth's earliest life. Mars is discussed as a place to possibly find answers.
The best chapter for me was the Search for Life in the solar system. I have a keen interest in Mars.
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Different areas of different kinds of galaxies are discussed and the best places where to find life are discussed. Some areas are too new..only a few hundred million years old. Too young for life to form. Other areas are too violent, being riped apart and would not be good places for life. The vastness of space, the billions of galaxies and the trillions of stars are discussed. Just in sheer probability there MUST be other life. The difficulty of either us or "them" contacting each other is discussed due to the enormous distances involved.
I really LOVED the picture of "The First Baby on Mars" by Jon Lomberg on page 250 of a human baby being held by a woman's hands looking out a plate of glass window at the landscape of Mars. The baby's face is reflected back and a small Earth and possible Moon can be seen over the baby's reflected head. This one picture was worth the price of the book.
Part 5 was good too... The search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. About half the information I already knew but it was an excellent review. The book is 530 pages but reads quick and well. No difficult math. I got the second edition used for $1 plus shipping.
The third edition is probably better as some of the material will be updated. If you can get the third edition at a good price get that one. If not get the second edition at very low cost as much of the science and research will not have changed. The second edition rated 4 stars. A very good book.
June 2.... side note. Just bought and ordered a print of "The First Baby on Mars" from Jon Lomberg. As a life Mars Society member for me it was a must have. Glad to have seen the picture first in the book "The Search for life In the Universe"!
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