| 50-4975 | QB820 | 2012-9787 CIP | | Science & Technology Astronautics & Astronomy | | Lemonick, Michael D. Mirror Earth: the search for our planet’s twin. Walker & Company, 2012. 294p bibl index; ISBN 9780802779007, $26.00. Reviewed in 2013may CHOICE. | | Mirror Earth presents the developments in the search for planets beyond our solar system. Science journalist/author Lemonick (Echo of the Big Bang, CH, Jan’04, 41-2793) tells the story in a refreshing way, describing his interviews with many “exoplaneteers” and his attendance at several meetings, conferences, and workshops. By the middle of the book, the reader feels like a part of the various research groups and shares the excitement behind the search for new worlds. This is a wonderful book to accompany an undergraduate introductory course on life in the universe or astrobiology because it presents the most relevant discoveries in this field from 1995, when astronomers were first able to detect and confirm extrasolar planets, up to 2011. It will also be a great resource for history of science courses and even women’s studies, as many of the prominent scientists involved are young females; professionals entering the field of planetary science will enjoy the book as well. The author’s matter-of-fact descriptions of the advances in exoplanetology and his thorough research on the scientists, the science, and the relevant technology make the book a solid read, combining the scientific and the human side of the exoplanet story. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general readers. — M. Takamiya, University of Hawai’i |
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