The Stardust Revolution: The New Story of Our Origin in the Stars

The Stardust Revolution is a third great scientific revolution that combines astronomy and evolutionary biology, merging the Copernican and Darwinian Revolutions and placing life in a cosmic context. It tells the epic story of how astronomers first realized that the universe is expanding and evolving, and how astrobiologists are taking the study of life into the space age.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 376 pages
Publication date: 15 February 2022
Publisher: Prometheus Books

Three remarkable scientific revolutions have profoundly shaped our understanding of the cosmos and our place within it. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the Copernican Revolution emerged, challenging the notion that Earth was the center of the universe and revealing our planet as just one among many celestial bodies orbiting the Sun. Three centuries later, the Darwinian Revolution occurred, fundamentally altering our perception of ourselves as distinct beings with a divine biological nature, instead placing us fully within the interconnected web of terrestrial life.

Now, we are witnessing the emergence of a third great scientific revolution, a transformative endeavor that has been in the making for five centuries. This revolution, known as the Stardust Revolution, brings together the fields of astronomy and evolutionary biology, merging the insights of the Copernican and Darwinian Revolutions. It places life within a cosmic context, illuminating its vastness and complexity.

This captivating book takes readers on a grand journey, beginning on the summit of California's Mount Wilson, where astronomers first grasped the profound truth that the universe is not only expanding but also evolving. From there, we explore the use of radio telescopes to unravel the mysteries of how organic molecules, the building blocks of life, are formed by stars. It is an epic tale woven through the narratives of scientific luminaries, including Nobel laureate Charles Townes, who made groundbreaking discoveries about cosmic water, and the daring explorers of the twenty-first century, who are tirelessly searching for signs of life beyond our planet.

Today, a new breed of scientists has emerged—astrobiologists and astrochemists—who are taking the study of life into the realm of space exploration. Astrobiologists delve into the origins, evolution, and distribution of life, not just on Earth but throughout the universe. Stardust science is filling in the gaps in our evolutionary story, providing insights that extend our family tree beyond our planet.

As we continue to unravel the mysteries of the cosmos, we are reminded of the profound interconnectedness of all life. The Stardust Revolution reminds us that we are part of a vast and magnificent universe, and that our journey of discovery is far from over. It is a testament to the power of science and the endless possibilities that lie ahead.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781633887695
Edition number: Revised Edition