Earth, Cosmos and Culture

Earth, Cosmos and Culture
Author: Oliver Tristan Dunnett
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 311
Release: 2021-04-19
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0429631634

This book traces the development of diverse British cultures of outer space, utilizing key geographical concepts such as landscape, place, and national identity. It examines the early visionary ideas of writers H. G. Wells and Olaf Stapledon, the ambitious British space programme of the 1960s, and narrations of British cultural identity that accompanied the space missions of Helen Sharman, Beagle 2 and Tim Peake. The exploration of British cultures of outer space throughout the book helps understand the emergence of the British Interplanetary Society. It also explains its significance in pre-war and post-war periods through an analysis of the roles of influential figures such as Arthur C. Clarke and Patrick Moore. The chapters explore utopian and dystopian representations of space exploration, examine the mysterious phenomenon of UFO culture, and consider plans for humanity’s imagined future across interstellar space. Throughout the book geography is advocated as a home for critical studies of outer space, illuminating its significance in terms of the reciprocal relationships between exploration and the sublime, science and the imagination, Earth and cosmos. As an emergent field of research in the social sciences, this book makes an excellent contribution to the study of the outer space in Britain and abroad developing a distinctive kind of outer spatial geography with major implications for future teaching and research.

Cosmos & Culture

Cosmos & Culture
Author: Steven J. Dick
Publisher:
Total Pages: 620
Release: 2009
Genre: Astronomy
ISBN:

From GPO Bookstore's Website: Authors with diverse backgrounds in science, history, anthropology, and more, consider culture in the context of the cosmos. How does our knowledge of cosmic evolution affect terrestrial culture? Conversely, how does our knowledge of cultural evolution affect our thinking about possible cultures in the cosmos? Are life, mind, and culture of fundamental significance to the grand story of the cosmos that has generated its own self-understanding through science, rational reasoning, and mathematics? Book includes bibliographical references and an index.

Light of the Stars: Alien Worlds and the Fate of the Earth

Light of the Stars: Alien Worlds and the Fate of the Earth
Author: Adam Frank
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Total Pages: 259
Release: 2018-06-12
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0393609022

Winner of the 2019 Phi Beta Kappa Award for Science "A valuable perspective on the most important problem of our time." —Adam Becker, NPR Light of the Stars tells the story of humanity’s coming of age as we realize we might not be alone in this universe. Astrophysicist Adam Frank traces the question of alien life from the ancient Greeks to modern thinkers, and he demonstrates that recognizing the possibility of its existence might be the key to save us from climate change. With clarity and conviction, Light of the Stars asks the consequential question: What can the likely presence of life on other planets tell us about our own fate?

Awakening Earth

Awakening Earth
Author: Duane Elgin
Publisher: William Morrow
Total Pages: 392
Release: 1993
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN:

"Just as there are relatively distinct stages that characterize the development of an individual from infancy to early adulthood, so too are there discernible stages in the development of our species as we move toward a planetary-scale civilization. Awakening Earth brings together views from science and spirituality, East and West, the practical and the visionary, to present a compelling new picture of human evolution. Based upon twenty years of research, this book explores the human journey from the initial awakening of hunter-gatherers roughly 35,000 years ago, through the agrarian era and Industrial Revolution, and then goes on to describe three additional stages of development essential for realizing our initial maturity as a global species-civilization." "A disoriented world civilization faced with dwindling resources, mounting pollution, and exploding population is a recipe for ecological collapse and social anarchy. It is imperative that the human family begin to make rapid and profound changes in how we live together on the Earth. To accomplish this, we must now ask ourselves fundamental questions: Who are we? What are we doing here? Where are we going as a species? Awakening Earth provides a catalyst for this conversation with its integrative vision and inspiring map of the journey toward a sustainable, compassionate, and creative future. While not predicting a sudden "new age" of social enlightenment, Awakening Earth does present the promising view that humanity is roughly halfway through seven major transformations in culture and consciousness required to build a planetary civilization that can endure into the deep future."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Down to Earth

Down to Earth
Author: Lisa Parks
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Total Pages: 325
Release: 2012-06-13
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0813553334

Down to Earth presents the first comprehensive overview of the geopolitical maneuvers, financial investments, technological innovations, and ideological struggles that take place behind the scenes of the satellite industry. Satellite projects that have not received extensive coverage—microsatellites in China, WorldSpace in South Africa, SiriusXM, the failures of USA 193 and Cosmos 954, and Iridium—are explored. This collection takes readers on a voyage through a truly global industry, from the sites where satellites are launched to the corporate clean rooms where they are designed, and along the orbits and paths that satellites traverse. Combining a practical introduction to the mechanics of the satellite industry, a history of how its practices and technologies have evolved, and a sophisticated theoretical analysis of satellite cultures, Down to Earth opens up a new space for global media studies.

Earth and Space

Earth and Space
Author: Nirmala Nataraj
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Total Pages: 178
Release: 2015-10-13
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1452146055

“[A] glorious, pictorial tour of the universe . . . beginning with photos depicting Earth from space and progressing through . . . the individual planets.” —School Library Journal Preface by Bill Nye Take a tour of the universe with this breathtaking collection of photographs from the archives of NASA. Astonishing images of Earth from above, the phenomena of our solar system, and the celestial bodies of deep space will captivate readers and photography lovers with an interest in science, astronomy, and the great beyond. Each extraordinary photograph from the legendary space agency is paired with explanatory text that contextualizes its place in the cosmic ballet of planets, stars, dust, and matter—from Earth’s limb to solar flares, the Jellyfish Nebula to Pandora’s Cluster. Featuring a preface by Bill Nye, this engaging ebook offers up-close views of our remarkable cosmos, and sparks wonder at the marvels of Earth and space. “Delve into the great beyond with these awe-inspiring photos from NASA’s archive.” —Entertainment Weekly “Puts some of our most magnificent space imagery in context, and it’s enough to make anyone feel like just the tiniest little speck of stardust.” —BuzzFeed

The View from Planet Earth

The View from Planet Earth
Author: Vincent Cronin
Publisher: Quill
Total Pages: 376
Release: 1981
Genre: Science
ISBN:

Includes explanations of "influences of astronomy and astrology, philosophy and poetry, folklore and religion."

Into the Cosmos

Into the Cosmos
Author: James T. Andrews
Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Pre
Total Pages: 343
Release: 2011-09-25
Genre: History
ISBN: 082297746X

The launch of the Sputnik satellite in October 1957 changed the course of human history. In the span of a few years, Soviets sent the first animal into space, the first man, and the first woman. These events were a direct challenge to the United States and the capitalist model that claimed ownership of scientific aspiration and achievement. The success of the space program captured the hopes and dreams of nearly every Soviet citizen and became a critical cultural vehicle in the country's emergence from Stalinism and the devastation of World War II. It also proved to be an invaluable tool in a worldwide propaganda campaign for socialism, a political system that could now seemingly accomplish anything it set its mind to. Into the Cosmos shows us the fascinating interplay of Soviet politics, science, and culture during the Khrushchev era, and how the space program became a binding force between these elements. The chapters examine the ill-fitted use of cosmonauts as propaganda props, the manipulation of gender politics after Valentina Tereshkova's flight, and the use of public interest in cosmology as a tool for promoting atheism. Other chapters explore the dichotomy of promoting the space program while maintaining extreme secrecy over its operations, space animals as media darlings, the history of Russian space culture, and the popularity of space-themed memorabilia that celebrated Soviet achievement and planted the seeds of consumerism.

The Privileged Planet

The Privileged Planet
Author: Guillermo Gonzalez
Publisher: Regnery Gateway
Total Pages: 466
Release: 2020-01-07
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1684510775

Earth. The Final Frontier Contrary to popular belief, Earth is not an insignificant blip on the universe’s radar. Our world proves anything but average in Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay W. Richards’ The Privileged Planet: How Our Place in the Cosmos Is Designed for Discovery. But what exactly does Earth bring to the table? How does it prove its worth among numerous planets and constellations in the vastness of the Milky Way? In The Privileged Planet, you’ll learn about the world’s life-sustaining capabilities, water and its miraculous makeup, protection by the planetary giants, and how our planet came into existence in the first place.

Personalities on the Plate

Personalities on the Plate
Author: Barbara J. King
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2017-03-15
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 022619518X

"Rooted in the latest science, and built on a mix of firsthand experience (including entomophagy, which, yes, is what you think it is) and close engagement with the work of scientists, farmers, vets, and chefs, Personalities on the Plate is an unforgettable journey through the world of animals we eat."--Dust jacket.