Planets and Life (Rare, 1970)

Are we alone in the universe? Surely not, argues the author of this book. Even the most conservative astronomers now estimate that there are several million planets in our native galaxy—the Milky Way—capable of supporting life as we know it on Earth; and biologists are increasing confident that where hospitable physical conditions prevail, living things will eventually appear. Indeed, the probabilities are that human intelligence itself is by no means the monopoly of mankind. In leading up to a discussion of the possibility that other civilisations exist among the stars, and of the feasibility of interstellar travel and communication, Dr. Sneath gives a fascinating account of our present knowledge of the structure of the Universe and of nature and origins of life and intelligence.