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Planetary Dreams: The Quest to Discover Life Beyond Earth

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Planetary Dreams: The Quest to Discover Life Beyond EarthThe Quest To Discover Life Beyond Earth. ""The 'dreams' that I write of are not the usual ones, the images that come up in our minds involuntarily during certain stages of sleep, but rather the hopes and expectations that we have lavished upon other worlds around us."" from the Preface. The surprisingly long history of debate over extraterrestrial life is full of marvelous visions of what life ""out there"" might be like, as well as remarkable stories

The Quest To Discover Life Beyond Earth.

""The 'dreams' that I write of are not the usual ones, the images that come up in our minds involuntarily during certain stages of sleep, but rather the hopes and expectations that we have lavished upon other worlds around us.""-from the Preface.

The surprisingly long history of debate over extraterrestrial life is full of marvelous visions of what life ""out there"" might be like, as well as remarkable stories of alleged sightings and heated disputes about the probability that life might actually have arisen more than once. In Planetary Dreams, acclaimed author Robert Shapiro explores this rich history of dreams and debates in search of the best current answers to the most elusive and compelling of all questions: Are we alone?

In his pursuit, he presents three contrasting views regarding how life might have started: through Divine Creation, by a highly unlikely stroke of luck, or by the inevitable process of a natural law that he terms the Life Principle. We are treated to a lively fictional dinner debate among the leading proponents of these schools of thought-with the last named group arguing that life has almost surely formed in many places throughout the universe, and the others that life may well be entirely unique to our own blue planet. To set the stage for a deep exploration of the question, the author then leads us on a fantastic journey through the museum of the cosmos, an imagined building that holds models of the universe at different degrees of magnification. We then journey deep into inner space to view the astonishingly intricate life of a single cell, and learn why the origin of such a complex object from simple chemical mixtures poses one of the most profound enigmas known to science.

Writing in a wonderfully entertaining style, Shapiro then reviews the competing theories about the start of life on Earth, and suggests the debate may best be settled by finding signs of life on the other worlds of our solar system. He takes us on a guided tour of the most likely sites, from the underground hot springs of Mars to the ice-covered oceans of Jupiter's airless moons.

Along the way, he shares a wealth of fascinating stories about the ways in which our views of the heavens have changed, from the theories of ancient philosphers, who argued that the Moon was inhabited, to the current Origins and Astrobiology initiatives of NASA. He describes the probes that will be sent out in the near future in pursuit of the first compelling physical evidence of life beyond Earth, and concludes with a radical suggestion about how this quest might be supported through the next millennium. As we launch into an exciting new era of space exploration, Planetary Dreams offers a thoughtful and entertaining exploration of both the history of our hopes and expectations and a vision of a possible future in which the discovery of life elsewhere will provide a new view of our place in the universe.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Wiley (TP)
Published: 05/01/2001
ISBN: 9780471407355
Pages: 324
Weight: 0.88lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.10w x 0.88d
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SKU: 83433786148

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Hugh62
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 1
Poor quality control - maybe outlet store leftovers
Size: 11.5, Color: Burgundy Polished Full Grain
The two shoes were not the same size. They were both labeled 11 1/2 but one shoe was larger than the other and the fit was poor. I returned the first pair and ordered a replacement. This time the shoes were close to the same size but too loose and the left one has sewing issues. I've bought Johnston & Murphy for years because of the quality. These were to replace an existing pair of burgundy penny loafers that have finally worn out (even after several heal/sole replacements). That is the expected quality. I suspect Nashville Shoe Warehouse may be handling shoes that didn't measure up for the quality; more like an outlet mall than getting the J&M quality I've come to expect. Update: went to Johnston & Murphy site to buy "direct" from the manufacturer. There were several recent reviews where the shoes were long and didn't fit properly. Genesco - please step up the manufacture / crafting of these classic shoes to the level of quality they used to have.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2025
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Fabric Crazy
Draper, US
★★★★★ 5
Really nice shoes
Size: 9, Color: Black Polished Full Grain
My husband enjoys wearing these shoes. Very classy looking. They fit well. They arrived quickly. He liked them so much he ordered another pair in a different color which have worked out just as well.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2026
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tjw
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 3
Way too narrow
Size: 9.5 Wide, Color: Burgundy Polished Full Grain
I ordered a wide in this shoe, but it was still way too narrow. I had to return them. Otherwise, it looked like a nice quality shoe.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2026
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BetterEveryDay
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
I usually wear 11.5's, but I buy 1/2 size smaller to accommodate for stretch. Leather relaxes.
Size: 11, Color: Burgundy Polished Full Grain
5 STARS: These shoes are awesome. I keep coming back for more. I have major foot problems, have tried all kinds of shoes, orthotics, and inserts... but believe it or not, these shoes work better than any of that stuff. I wear them daily. I buy lots of them, for home, for church, and I'm getting my first pair of J&M boots today, for winters in Indiana... Brrrr
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Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2025
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Doc
Pawtucket, US
★★★★★ 5
Great price great shoe
Size: 12, Color: Burgundy Polished Full Grain
Excellent shoe. Tried the Sebago penny loafer and the sizing was ridiculous. These J and M are sized perfectly. I’ve had them before and they wear like iron. Very comfortable right out of the box.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2026

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