Out of this World and into the Next: Notes from a Physicist on Space Exploration

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Humanity has always looked up at the night sky and wondered what lies beyond our world. Now, we are on the precipice of stepping out among the stars, not just as lone astronauts or billionaire tech bros, but as a civilization. Our story is one of curiosity and an innate desire to explore and understand not only the world around us, but the world within us, and the worlds above us, from extremophiles to extraterrestrials, technosignatures to terraforming, DNA to Dyson Spheres.In this sweeping treatise on exploration, innovation and human ingenuity, theoretical physicist Dr Adriana Marais seeks to answer the questions that stand at the heart of scientific endeavour: What are the building blocks of life and how does life emerge Are we alone in the universe and if so, why How did we get here - and where are we going next

Reviews

A breathtaking journey from the Big Bang to the tantalising threshold of a general theory of life and its future (and ours) in the cosmos -- Bruce Damer, astrobiologist
A fascinating and thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of life, the universe, and the future of humanity. Immensely readable yet rigorously thought-through, the book tackles the pressing challenges facing humanity, and envisions a future shaped by clean energy, asteroid mining, and the potential for terraforming Mars. With a focus on the most profound questions of existence, Marais challenges readers to consider not just the scientific and technological possibilities but also the ethical responsibilities of our species as we confront existential threats and explore new frontiers: one can only hope that Elon Musk will pick up a copy. -- Jonathan Morrison

Author Bio

Dr Adriana Marais is an award-winning theoretical physicist and internationally renowned advocate for off-world exploration. Her PhD and postdoctoral work in quantum biology on photosynthesis and the origins of the building blocks of life in space was published in top physics journals including Physical Review Letters, and won awards from L'Oreal-UNESCO and the Royal Society of South Africa among others. She was Head of Innovation at SAP Africa between 2017 and 2019, and is currently a Director at the Foundation for Space Development Africa. In 2020, she was among 5 global finalists for Women in Tech's the Most Disruptive Woman in Tech Award.