Amazing Worlds of Science Fiction and Science Fact

Keith Cooper author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Reaktion Books

Published:17th Mar '25

Should be back in stock very soon

Amazing Worlds of Science Fiction and Science Fact cover

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to watch a double sunset on Tatooine, stand among the sand dunes of Arrakis or gaze at the gas-giant planet Polyphemus from the moon Pandora? In Amazing Worlds of Science Fiction and Science Fact, Keith Cooper explores the fictional planets of films such as Star Wars, Dune and Avatar, and discusses how realistic they are based on our current scientific understanding and astronomical observations. The real exoplanets astronomers are now discovering are truly stranger than fiction, as the author shows. Featuring insights from over a dozen scientists and award-winning science-fiction authors, including Charlie Jane Anders, Stephen Baxter and Alastair Reynolds, Amazing Worlds of Science Fiction and Science Fact is perfect for readers of popular science and fans of science fiction.

[A] fascinating book . . . Despite dealing with some cutting-edge science, this isn’t a technical book, focusing instead on the wonder and excitement of the subject. Keith Cooper draws heavily on his own conversations with exoplanet scientists, discussing the techniques they use, the discoveries they’ve made and their plans for the future. Comparisons with fictional planets run like a thread through the book – and it’s fair to say they bear out the old saying that the truth is stranger than fiction. -- Andrew May * How It Works magazine *
Unpacking science fiction alongside real exoplanet discoveries, Keith Cooper’s Amazing Worlds of Science Fiction and Science Fact is a captivating, cutting-edge view of worlds beyond our Solar System that explores the intersection of fiction and fact. An essential read for anyone fascinated by the cosmos. * Sara Seager, Professor of Planetary Science, Physics and Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and author of The Smallest Lights in the Universe *

ISBN: 9781789149944

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

248 pages