From Here to Infinity: A Vision for the Future of Science by Martin Rees (PDF)

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One of our greatest scientific minds reflects on the role of science in the twenty-first century.In this riveting, eye-opening new book, preeminent astrophysicist Martin Rees charts out the future of science, offering a compelling vision of how scientists and laypeople can work together to address the most urgent issues of our era—including climate change and energy concerns, population growth, and epidemiological threats.Scientific research is crucial to a growing number of policy decisions, but in our public discussions, ideology and indignation all too often threaten to drown out research and evidence. To shape debates over health care, energy policy, space travel, and other vital issues, ordinary citizens must engage directly with research rather than relying on pundits’ and politicians’ interpretations. Otherwise, fringe opinions that have been discredited in the scientific community can take hold in the public imagination. At the same time, scientists must understand their roles as communicators and ambassadors as well as researchers.Rees not only diagnoses this central problem but also explains how scientists and the general public can deploy a global, long-term perspective to address the new challenges we face. In the process, he reveals critical shortcomings in our current system—for example, the tendency to be overly anxious about minor hazards while underrating the risk of potential catastrophes. Offering a strikingly clear portrait of the future of science, Rees tackles such diverse topics as the human brain, the possibility that humans will colonize other planets, and the existence of extraterrestrial life in order to distinguish between what scientists can hope to discover and what will always lie beyond our grasp.A fresh perspective on science’s significance and potential, From Here to Infinity will inspire and enlighten.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Exploring the future effects of a doubling in CO2 levels – and cutting-edge efforts to prevent this – are just some of the valuable insights in this book. While most of us will not be able to attend classes at Oxford or Cambridge, this book takes one to a virtual lecture with one of the leading minds in science. The breadth and depth here is of the kind that one also finds with the acclaimed scientist Freeman Dyson. This book continues the discussion that Prof. Rees started in “Our Final Hour: A Scientist’s Warning.” Regarding global warming (or more accurately, “global heating”), he is one of a growing number of top scientists now supporting an ultra-low carbon energy source in G-20 nations: modern nuclear energy. If only more members of Congress, Parliament, and other nations would heed his call that “it’s surely worthwhile to boost R&D into fourth-generation reactors, which could be more flexible in size, and safer.” (page 64). I also support R&D funding for fourth generation designs, including the PBMR / PB-AHTR power stations. In addition to his sharp analysis of specific science and engineering challenges, Prof. Rees provides a vision of science’s liberating power, and how it can unify peoples of the world. Perhaps this latter point, and the need for more scientific literacy, will be one factor that leads the West towards a future of sustainable energy independence that includes nuclear energy. Longer-term vision can take on the challenges of this century, but this requires an objective assessment of problems and solutions, so that funding can then be actually effective in preventing problems such as runaway CO2 levels. As Nobel Laureate Prof. Robert Laughlin proves in “Powering the Future,” some combination of renewables and nuclear energy will eventually power the world in the next two centuries. Finally, Prof. Rees has a video presentation of “Our Final Hour,” which includes keys ideas in “From Here to Infinity,” on the TED Talks website.

⭐I had high hopes that there would be some novel information, philosophy of science or even some discussion of the origin of the cosmos. This very short book was, in my view, a rehash of ideas about science and culture, that could be found in any number of other places, even by searching the web. I was disappointed.

⭐Excellent

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