Perfect planet, clever species : how unique are we? / William C. Burger.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Burger, William C.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Human evolution.

Life on other planets.

Exobiology.

Physical Description:

345 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Amherst, N.Y. : Prometheus Books, 2003.

Summary:

How likely is it that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe? This is the intriguing question explored by the author, who makes the case that human evolution may be unique in our galaxy. Illustrations.

Contents:

1. No Ordinary Star 15

2. A Really Good Planet Is Hard to Find 35

3. The First 4,000 Million Years 57

4. Life Explodes: The Last 560 Million Years 85

5. Why Are There So Many Kinds of Plants and Animals? 111

6. Random Walks or Progressive Trajectories? 135

7. The Escalation of Intelligence 161

8. Building the World's Best Brain 193

9. An Appetite for Energy: Revolutions in Living 223

10. The Origins of Western Science 251

11. Perfect Planet, but How Unusual an Odyssey? 271.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 295-328) and index.

ISBN:

1591020166

OCLC:

50072353