Searching Beyond the Stars: Seven Women in Science Take On Space's Biggest Questions
OPENING UP THE UNIVERSE When you think of a scientist what image comes to mind If you’re like a lot of people you might see a man in a lab coat or a man peering through a telescope I know that was the case for me when I was growing up as I dreamed of heading to the stars That’s because for the most part that’s all I saw on TV in the movies and in the news As I got older I realized that there are so many women who have contributed to what I love most space and space exploration But their stories were left untold as they stood in the shadows of men who were doing the same things they were Today we are starting to recognize many more women for their remarkable contribu tions and achievements women who are discovering new worlds searching for alien signals and unlocking the mysteries of the universe So I wanted to highlight some of them in this book Some did their research in the recent past paving the way for others to continue breaking barriers and exploring exciting new frontiers of space research For this book I was able to speak with Jill Tarter who was at the forefront of the search for the first extraterrestrial intelligence Sara Seager who is searching for potentially 2
habitable planets and Ashley Walker who is one of the first Black women in the field of astrochemistry and is looking at what chemical combinations might give rise to life Emily Lakdawalla shared with me her passion for communicating the wonders of space to the public Tanya Harrison bubbled with excitement about all the wonders on Mars and Renée Hložek pondered about our universe’s beginnings and how it may end I truly consider it an honor to have been able to speak to some of the women I had read about and learned so much from especially as a science communicator Their enthusiasm is infectious We all share an intense curiosity and a common passion the love of the universe in which we live These incredible women are opening the entire universe up to us They are looking back in time to the Big Bang when everything we know and see came into existence they are looking for planets that may harbor life or that may be good places to at least start searching for signs of life and they are looking back at Mars to a time when it may have once had an ocean Most of all they are trying to learn what all of this means for humans I want anyone who reads this book to know that nothing can stop you from pursuing your dream despite the challenges that you may need to overcome Anyone who has a curious mind who seeks answers to the tough nagging questions Where do we come from How did life arise on Earth What happened to the water on Mars How will the universe end can try to get the answers So dip in and meet these women See how they’re all searching beyond the stars every day and how you might one day too 3
Want to learn more about the science and the history behind these scientists awe some achievements Or maybe you’d like to read some of the strangest space facts out there Look for these sidebars throughout the book A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY The sidebars with this icon give context for each scientist’s work and life whether that’s talking about the findings that paved the way for their own discoveries or the social realities that impacted the way their careers took shape BEHIND THE SCIENCE From physics to chemistry to geology and beyond these sidebars give insight into the factors that influenced the scientists methods and approaches SPACE ODDITY Space science is full of out-there attempts and unusual phenomena just look to these sidebars for proof DEFINITION Words in bold are further defined in the glossary at the back of the book NAVIGATING THIS BOOK 5
