The Body Shapes of Extraterrestrials

Leslie M Golden, PhD, an astronomer, professor, software developer, cruise ship lecturer, animal welfare and environmental activist, actor, musician, band leader, stand-up comic, playwright, novelist, cartoonist, gambling columnist, and professional blackjack player, presents entertaining yet authoritative essays on intriguing concepts in astronomy, biology, botany, the possibility of extraterrestrial life, physics, and zoology. You'll feel your intellect massaged and your mental horizons expanded as you read about such subjects as How Long Would a Conversation with ET Take?, The Physics of Elephant Deaths, The Lunar 50,000 Formula 1 Race, Collision Course! Galaxies Collide!, What Does an Astronomer Really Do?, The Physics of Hang Time, The Problem with Extraterrestrials, and The Benefits of a Mission to Mars. As an extra bonus, Les Golden presents some of his favorite science jokes and cartoons. In short, The Body Shapes of Extraterrestrials and Other Essays in Astronomy, Physics, and Biology is the perfect coffee table book or gift.

• Astronomy:
  • Introduction
  • What Does an Astronomer Really Do?
  • Visitors to Berkeley
  • An Application of Occam's Razor: Geocentric vs. Heliocentic Models of the Universe
  • Why are the Stars White? Or Red? Or Blue? — Blackbody Radiation
  • The Three Great Cosmic Coincidences: Part A. Cosmochemistry and Biochemistry
  • The Three Great Cosmic Coincidences: Part B. How Gravity Forms the Universe
  • The Three Great Cosmic Coincidences: Part C. Pressure versus Gravity
  • The Three Great Cosmic Coincidences: Part D. Reactions From Your Fire to the Center of Stars
  • The Three Great Cosmic Coincidences: Part E. Creation of the Elements and the Cosmic Coincidences
  • When is Sunrise? When is Sunset?
  • Collision Course! Galaxies Collide!
  • The Benefits of a Mission to Mars
  • The Shadow of the Earth's Smile — Eclipses
  • The US Postal Service
• Physics and Biology:
  • Introduction
  • The Physics of Hang Time
  • The Physics of Elephant Deaths
  • To Stoop or Not to Stoop?: That is the Question
  • The Second Law: Any Seconds?
  • The Lunar 50,000 Formula 1 Race
  • How to Design a First Prize Science Fair Project: Bacterial Growth in a Petri Dish with Dandelions
  • The Infrared Window, Heat Islands, Artificial Turf, and Global Warming
  • The Use of Models and Structures to Establish Patterns, Relations, and Structures
  • Strange but True Facts of the Natural World
• Extraterrestrials:
  • Introduction
  • The Problem with Extraterrestrials
  • I'm Not Afraid of Aliens, Are You?
  • How Long Would a Conversation with ET Take?
  • The Body Shapes of Extraterrestrials
  • Alien Invasions, Longevity of Civilizations, and Time Scales
• Index