North American AstroPhysical Observatory (NAAPO) Cosmic Search: Issue 6 (Volume 2 Number 2; Spring (Apr., May, June) 1980) [Article in magazine found on page 12]

Off the Shelf By: Mirjana Gearhart Space, the Future, and the Search for Intelligent Life beyond the Earth have always fascinated Man, as can be seen by the thousands upon thousands of books and articles written since the days of ancient Greece. In this, and future issues of COSMIC SEARCH, selected books and other publications are presented for interested readers. Space prevents inclusion of more than a few in each issue, but we believe that in these references, both old and new, you will find much that will add to your knowledge, understanding and enjoyment. A. P. French, ed., EINSTEIN, A CENTENARY VOLUME, 1979, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA (323 pgs., hardbound). Encompasses the life and achievements of Albert Einstein through the words of his colleagues and contemporaries—men like Edward Teller, Louis de Broglie, George Gamov, Pablo Casals, John Archibald Wheeler and many others. (See COSMIC SEARCH, vol. 1, no. 4, for an exclusive interview with Dr. Wheeler, Father of the Black Hole). William H. Hartmann, ASTRONOMY: THE COSMIC JOURNEY, 1978, Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc., Belmont, CA (536 pgs., hardbound). A well-illustrated and well-written astronomy text dealing with all aspects of our cosmic surroundings—from the Big Bang to the Black Hole. William J. Kaufmann III, BLACK HOLES AND WARPED SPACETIME, 1979, W. H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco, CA (221 pgs., hardbound). The elusive black hole—and its associated geometry—is the topic of this fascinating, well-illustrated book. The reader will find the domain of the black hole stranger than any science fiction. John Man, ed., THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SPACE TRAVEL AND ASTRONOMY, 1979, Octopus Books Limited, London, England (219 pgs., hardbound). This colorful volume is written by noted British astronomers and popular writers. It treats the future of space travel and the impact of yet-to-come discoveries in astronomy—how scientists will be involved in industries unheard of today, how scientists will tackle the significant questions about the Universe, etc. The National Academy of Sciences, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, A FIVE-YEAR OUTLOOK, 1979, W. H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco, CA (544 pgs., hardbound). What scientific advances we can look forward to and how they will affect us are two questions asked in this comprehensive study commissioned by Congress for the American people. Robert M. Powers, SHUTTLE: THE WORLD'S FIRST SPACESHIP, 1979, Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA (249 pgs., paperbound). A layperson's explanation of the "Enterprise," how it was conceived, how it will affect man's presence in space. (The "Enterprise" is the space shuttle, tested for the first time by NASA last year.) Joseph Silk, THE BIG BANG: THE CREATION AND EVOLUTION OF THE UNIVERSE, 1980, W. H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco, CA (394 pgs., hardbound). The general reader will find the story of the Big Bang told in a concise, interesting way. Gunther S. Stent, PARADOXES OF PROGRESS, 1979, W. H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco, CA (231 pgs., softbound). A controversial volume for readers interested in the interplay of science and philosophy. Stent contends that we are nearing the end of scientific progress. G. Harry Stine, THE THIRD INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, 1979, Ace Books, Grosset-Dunlap, New York, N.Y. (217 pgs., paperbound). A thought-provoking account of what far-reaching implications the industrialization of space can have for mankind. Ronald Story, THE SPACE—GODS REVEALED, 1976, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, NY (120 pgs., paperbound). Shatters von Daniken's theories on visitors from outer space by providing scientific evidence to the contrary. Chriet Titulaer, LEVEN OP ANDERE PLANETEN (Life on Other Planets), 1977, Elsevier Publishers, Inc. Amsterdam, Holland (106 pgs., hardbound). This well-illustrated book, written in Dutch, explains the scientific basis for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Ernest H. Wells, SEARCH FOR LIFE IN SPACE, 1975, DeHoff Publications, Murfreesboro, TN (106 pgs., paperbound). A layperson's overview of present-day searches for extraterrestrial intelligence.