Dec. 9, 2004
by Edna DeVore - Deputy CEO, Director Education and Public Outreach at Seti Institute
As the holiday season approaches, book lists fill the entertainment sections of newspapers: fiction and non-fiction, prize winners of all sorts, the ubiquitous coffee-table large-format illustrated tomes, and children?s literature. For me, it?s always a tempting feast. It?s an opportunity to expand my personal library or find a gift for someone special.
I particularly like giving books to children. I?m sure that this reflects my own childhood love of reading. As a girl, I lived on a ranch in rural California. Books opened new vistas for me. I remember especially a book about Egyptian archeology and another about Fremont?s exploration of the West. Each took me to another place and time with adventuresome people who were exploring places I?d never seen. These books stimulated my own sense of adventure that, in part, led to my career in science. Science is about taking risk, exploring the unknown, and seeking answers to fundamental questions.
SETI scientists explore the universe, seeking extraterrestrial signals from places we?ve never seen. It?s an adventure. We search for evidence that we are not alone in the universe. It?s exciting science and is an interesting story to share with children and adults. This column is simply a very specialized book list. It?s my personal list, not a comprehensive review of SETI literature. Rather, there is something for every reader here, from elementary school children to scientifically sophisticated adult.
Sharing Seti: A Personal Book List
Happy holidays -- I hope you enjoy sharing astrobiology and SETI with your family and friends.
Sir Ulli
by Edna DeVore - Deputy CEO, Director Education and Public Outreach at Seti Institute
As the holiday season approaches, book lists fill the entertainment sections of newspapers: fiction and non-fiction, prize winners of all sorts, the ubiquitous coffee-table large-format illustrated tomes, and children?s literature. For me, it?s always a tempting feast. It?s an opportunity to expand my personal library or find a gift for someone special.
I particularly like giving books to children. I?m sure that this reflects my own childhood love of reading. As a girl, I lived on a ranch in rural California. Books opened new vistas for me. I remember especially a book about Egyptian archeology and another about Fremont?s exploration of the West. Each took me to another place and time with adventuresome people who were exploring places I?d never seen. These books stimulated my own sense of adventure that, in part, led to my career in science. Science is about taking risk, exploring the unknown, and seeking answers to fundamental questions.
SETI scientists explore the universe, seeking extraterrestrial signals from places we?ve never seen. It?s an adventure. We search for evidence that we are not alone in the universe. It?s exciting science and is an interesting story to share with children and adults. This column is simply a very specialized book list. It?s my personal list, not a comprehensive review of SETI literature. Rather, there is something for every reader here, from elementary school children to scientifically sophisticated adult.
Sharing Seti: A Personal Book List
Happy holidays -- I hope you enjoy sharing astrobiology and SETI with your family and friends.
Sir Ulli
