My Book Review of Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth
Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth by Avi LoebMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Compelling Theory
No matter what you believe – Avi Loeb doesn’t try to force you to do anything more than to look at the evidence without bias – this is a compelling theory. It is well reasons and supported, which lends it as much merit as any other supposition on the matter of ‘Oumuamua. The author was correct to liken the viability of the theory to a quote from Arthur Conan Doyle, The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes: “When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”
I loved how the limited evidence was broken down, and how Avi Loeb laid out his thought process. He did a great job of showing how his conclusions are validated, and sadly, the science industry is influenced by funding what’s popular. I like that he still instills hope.
One of the author’s commentaries that I found to be as profound as it is truthful: “Our civilization is the product of not just our scientific advances but also those moments when for any number of reasons advances were delayed or even stopped in their tracks. We stand where we stand today because of the men and women who looked through the telescope, but also because of the men and women who refused to. Science is a work in progress, and the pursuit of scientific knowledge is never-ending. But that progress does not follow a straight path, and the obstacles encountered are sometimes of humanity’s own making.”
I recommend this book. If you are interested in pursuing a career in the sciences, especially astrophysicist, then this is a must read. It opens your eyes as well as your mind to many ideas, not just ETs. If you enjoy reading about space exploration and astronomy, you will find this a pleasant book. It’s smart, humbling, and honest.
