Quotes
“Jayawardhana brings the latest cutting-edge science to all
those astounding science-fictional visions of alien worlds, showing us that the
universe is every bit as exciting as the masters of science fiction have always
claimed. It’s no accident that his title invokes the opening of the original Star
Trek. In this terrific book, he boldly goes out into the galaxy, showing us
strange—and wondrous—new worlds.”
Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award–winning author
“Anyone scanning the shelves today to learn
about such urgent news from the universe should go directly to ‘J’ and take
down Ray Jayawardhana’s Strange New Worlds. It begins with early
speculation by ancient thinkers but moves quickly to a series of seemingly
promising discoveries, beginning 160 years ago, that raised researchers’ hopes
only to frustrate them…Reading Strange New Worlds, I felt the
thrill of briefly sharing in the efforts of these planet-seeking scientists and
seeing the universe through their eyes.” Wall Street Journal
“With the seemingly endless stream of news about discoveries
of alien planets, it’s easy to forget that just twenty years ago exoplanets
were no more than theoretical possibilities. Now astronomer Ray Jayawardhana
tells the story of how the dramatic hunt has unfolded, from the early days of
stellar astronomy to present-day speculation about life outside our solar
system.” New Scientist
“This combination of the insider’s expert perspective and
storyteller’s skill really shines through in Strange New Worlds…You
won’t find a more able guide for the journey.” Times Higher Education
“Remarkably evenhanded. This is a fast-moving
field in which groups have often clashed. Nonetheless, he provides a survey of
the subject without giving the protagonists anything to complain about. His
lucid and effortless prose makes for an engaging read.”
Nature
“The search for habitable planets around other
stars is one of the preeminent research areas in astronomy today. Jayawardhana
gives a firsthand account of the exciting discoveries that have taken place in
the past two decades of rapidly accelerating growth in this new field. Strange
New Worlds not only conveys the author’s point of view about his own
discoveries of planet-forming disks around other stars but also contains
excerpts from Jayawardhana’s interviews with many of the other researchers who
helped build the newest astronomical instruments, observe the first extrasolar
planets, and create new or revised theories for the formation of planets.”
Choice
“Ray Jayawardhana, an astrophysicist and writer, vividly
recounts the advances behind an extraordinary age of exploration.” Australian
“An engaging read that casts a floodlight at the
search for life-sustaining planets beyond our solar system…It is a must-read
for anyone who has ever wondered about the possibility of life beyond our
planet.”
Cosmos
“It is the most tantalizing question: are there
other planets where creatures passingly like ourselves eat Chiko Rolls, watch
TV, and walk the dog? Jayawardhana…explains the history and current science in
simple English.” Sydney Morning Herald
“One aspect that attracted me to this book was
that it revealed, in story-book fashion, the chronology of discoveries
(including the names of the most significant players involved) in the quest for
finding exoplanets. Such a format made for easy reading and, with each chapter,
you could see the exoplanet story unfold.”
Planetarian
