Search for Life

Search for Life – Monica Grady

Are we alone in the universe? It is one of the oldest and most profound questions humanity has asked, and today scientists are closer than ever to finding ways to answer it.

In Search for Life, published by the Natural History Museum in London, planetary scientist Monica Grady explores the science behind the hunt for life beyond Earth. Grady, a leading expert on meteorites, explains what life is, how it may have begun on our own planet and what conditions it needs to survive, before turning to the places in our solar system and beyond where life might exist.

The book looks at the evidence from meteorites, including those that originated on Mars, and examines the debate over whether they might contain signs of ancient life. It explores the history and prospects of Mars exploration, the possibility of life on moons such as Europa and Titan, the discovery of planets orbiting other stars, and the search for intelligent life through radio telescopes. Along the way, Grady also discusses extremophiles, the remarkable organisms that thrive in some of the harshest environments on Earth, and what they suggest about life elsewhere.

Clear explanations and illustrations make complex scientific ideas accessible to general readers.

Concise and fascinating, Search for Life is an engaging introduction to astrobiology for students, space enthusiasts and anyone curious about one of science’s greatest questions. Readers should note that discoveries in this fast-moving field have continued since the book’s publication.