Meet the Neighbors
Steven A. Benner
Sold by Rarewaves.com UK, London, United Kingdom
AbeBooks Seller since 11 June 2025
New - Hardcover
Condition: New
Ships from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Quantity: Over 20 available
Add to basketSold by Rarewaves.com UK, London, United Kingdom
AbeBooks Seller since 11 June 2025
Condition: New
Quantity: Over 20 available
Add to basket'At last, a sensible and penetrating look at the possibility of life on Mars . Bravo to Benner, one of the world's most accomplished chemists, for putting the possibility of extant Martian life back on the scientific agenda'Paul Davies, author of Quantum 2.0Are we alone in the universe? Mars has always seemed where we were likeliest to find the answer. Yet, since the Viking landers touched down in 1976, no mission has returned to the Martian surface to search directly for life living there now. Instead we're searching the moons of outer planets, or the atmospheres of planets many light years away.In Meet the Neighbors, pioneering astrobiochemist Steven A. Benner argues that this was a historic mistake. That we're looking in the wrong place. Drawing on the Viking archive and explaining how the scientific process failed, he re-examines the mission that first searched for extant Martian life and makes the provocative case that its results were misunderstood. In the decades that have followed, Mars science has focused on water, geology and past habitability, while the most direct question - is anything alive on Mars today? - has been pushed aside.Benner shows why Mars remains the most accessible place to discover a second origin of life, and why finding even microbial organisms there would transform our understanding of our place in the cosmos. He also asks a deeper question: what counts as life in the first place? From the chemistry that may give rise to living systems to "agnostic" tools capable of detecting unfamiliar biology, he lays out a bold and practical blueprint for the next phase of exploration.At once a scientific detective story, a challenge to decades of orthodoxy, and a lucid guide to one of humanity's biggest questions, Meet the Neighbors is the definitive, urgent brief on where to go, what to measure, and why the next discovery won't just change textbooks - it will rewrite our place in the universe.
Seller Inventory # LU-9780241808306
'At last, a sensible and penetrating look at the possibility of life on Mars ... Bravo to Benner, one of the world’s most accomplished chemists, for putting the possibility of extant Martian life back on the scientific agenda'
Paul Davies, author of Quantum 2.0
Are we alone in the universe?
Mars has always seemed where we were likeliest to find the answer. Yet, since the Viking landers touched down in 1976, no mission has returned to the Martian surface to search directly for life living there now. Instead we’re searching the moons of outer planets, or the atmospheres of planets many light years away.
In Meet the Neighbors, pioneering astrobiochemist Steven A. Benner argues that this was a historic mistake. That we’re looking in the wrong place. Drawing on the Viking archive and explaining how the scientific process failed, he re-examines the mission that first searched for extant Martian life and makes the provocative case that its results were misunderstood. In the decades that have followed, Mars science has focused on water, geology and past habitability, while the most direct question – is anything alive on Mars today? – has been pushed aside.
Benner shows why Mars remains the most accessible place to discover a second origin of life, and why finding even microbial organisms there would transform our understanding of our place in the cosmos. He also asks a deeper question: what counts as life in the first place? From the chemistry that may give rise to living systems to “agnostic” tools capable of detecting unfamiliar biology, he lays out a bold and practical blueprint for the next phase of exploration.
At once a scientific detective story, a challenge to decades of orthodoxy, and a lucid guide to one of humanity’s biggest questions, Meet the Neighbors is the definitive, urgent brief on where to go, what to measure, and why the next discovery won’t just change textbooks – it will rewrite our place in the universe.
Steven A. Benner is a pioneering chemist, synthetic biologist and storyteller whose career has taken him from Harvard to NASA, via ETH Zurich. Throughout he has helped reshape the modern definition of life and the search for it beyond Earth.
Founding Director and Distinguished Fellow at the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Benner helped found the fields of synthetic biology and paleogenetics. In 2023 he was awarded the Harold Urey Medal from the International Astrobiology Society for the study of the origin of life.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
If you are a consumer you can withdraw from the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.
Information regarding the right of withdrawal
Statutory right to withdraw
You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.
The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the last good or the last lot or piece.
To exercise the right of withdrawal, electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". We will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a withdrawal on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.
To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.
Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw from this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).
We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.
We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract.
We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.
We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back, or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.
You shall send back the goods or hand them over to Rarewaves.com UK, London, London, United Kingdom, without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.
Exceptions to the right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal does not apply to:
Please note that we do not offer Priority shipping to any country.
We currently do not ship to the below countries:
Russia
Belarus
Ukraine
Israel
Please do not attempt to place orders with any of these countries as a ship to address - they will be cancelled.
| Order quantity | 60 to 60 business days | 60 to 60 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 65.00 | £ 100.00 |
Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.