Man's Place in the Universe / A Study of the Results of Scientific Research in Relation to the Unity or Plurality of Worlds, 3rd Edition

Name: Man's Place in the Universe / A Study of the Results of Scientific Research in Relation to the Unity or Plurality of Worlds, 3rd Edition
Author: Alfred Russel Wallace

By Alfred Russel Wallace

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About This Book

The work surveys historical and modern astronomical knowledge and synthesizes findings from physics, chemistry, geology, and biology to assess the likelihood of life beyond Earth. It reviews stellar distribution, the Sun's place in the Milky Way, and the scale and stability of star systems; considers the uniformity of matter and the essential physical and biological requirements for organisms; analyzes planetary and atmospheric conditions bearing on habitability; evaluates the chances that stars possess planets; and draws probabilistic conclusions about whether Earth alone supports complex life.

About the Author

Alfred Russel Wallace

Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) was a British naturalist, explorer, and biologist, best known for independently formulating the theory of evolution through natural selection, a concept he presented alongside Charles Darwin. His extensive travels in the Amazon and the Malay Archipelago provided him with rich insights into biodiversity and biogeography, which he documented in works such as "A Narrative of Travels on the Amazon and Rio Negro." Wallace also contributed to various fields, including entomology and anthropology, and was an advocate for spiritualism later in life, as reflected in his book "A Defence of Modern Spiritualism." His legacy endures in the realms of science and literature, marking him as a pivotal figure in the history of evolutionary thought.