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The Magazine of the CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES |
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Reviews Just Lucky, I Guess The Privileged Planet: How Our Place in the Cosmos is Designed for Discovery, by Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay W. Richards. Regnery Publishing, Washington, DC, 2004. 444 pp., $27.95 hardcover. Is there scientific evidence that an intelligent designer created our universe? Scientists and theologians have debated this issue for centuries, but now the arguments are heating up. The battle between evolution and creationism has been joined in schools around the country, and each new discovery in astronomy invites people to consider their place in the cosmos. Now authors Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay Richards have stepped into this breach with a provocative new book claiming that our ability to learn about the universe arises from its careful design. The Privileged Planet links two concepts that at first seem unrelated: "habitability" and "measurability." Habitability considers whether a place in the universe is suitable for advanced life to develop. Our planet is a cozy place for liquid water, while our large moon prevents Earth from suffering climate-changing swings on its axis. Our sun is a stable star with a life-friendly temperature, and our place in the Milky Way galaxy-like baby bear's porridge-is "just right" for many astrophysical reasons. This is familiar ground to science enthusiasts. But the authors deepen the discussion by introducing "measurability"-our capacity to view and analyze the cosmos. Gonzalez, an astronomer, and Richards, a theologian, make the case that scientists could not possibly have learned so much about the workings of our planet, our solar system, the galaxy, and the universe at large from any other location. Their chain of logic includes climate records in sediments at the bottom of the ocean; the clarity of our atmosphere; the size of our moon (perfect for eclipses); our neighboring planets-which reveal orbits and the effects of gravity; and the lack of space dust in Earth's immediate vicinity, which opens a window on the birth of the universe itself. "The myriad conditions that make a region habitable are also the ones that make the best overall places for discovering the universe in its smallest and largest expressions," the authors write. In the book's closing chapters, Gonzalez and Richards argue forcefully that the ties between habitability and measurability represent a "surprising pattern" too deep to chalk up to a roll of the universal dice. Rather, they maintain, "The universe is designed for discovery. The cosmos exists for a purpose." It's a message that readers will find either comforting or distasteful, depending on their predilections. The authors acknowledge this, stating that they hope skeptics will at least consider their reasoning. But as they try to sever the secular roots of modern cosmology, Gonzalez and Richards can become strident. They portray the "cultural elite" of science as blinded by a secular bias, and dismiss the idea of multiple universes-promoted by some of the field's leading figures-as "infinitely more fanciful than most fanciful science-fiction stories." Still, The Privileged Planet is entertaining, with no
mathematics and enough tales from astronomy, geology, and physics to satisfy
serious readers. And to their credit, the authors, who have had their
own epiphanies, don't dwell upon the notion of God as cosmic designer.
Enough Already One With Nineveh: Politics, Consumption, and the Human Future, by Paul R. Ehrlich and Anne H. Ehrlich. Island Press, Washington, DC, 2004, 447 pp., $27 hardcover. At the height of the British Empire in 1897, Rudyard Kipling wrote "Recessional," a poem about the hubris that preceded the fall of the mighty Mesopotamian city of Nineveh. Today, as Americans consume at a gluttonous and unprecedented pace, authors Paul R. Ehrlich and Anne H. Ehrlich remind us of the parable of that fallen civilization. In One With Nineveh, the husband-and-wife writing team draws a thought-provoking parallel between humanity's current predicament and the conditions that led to the ancient city's ruin. History books teach that the conquering Chaldaean army was to blame when Nineveh crumbled in 612 bc, triggering the destruction of the advanced Assyrian Empire. But the Ehrlichs note that the underlying cause was a drop-off in the society's natural resource base-particularly through deforestation and unsustainable irrigation-making the society susceptible to invaders. The Assyrian elite might have been among Earth's first Ÿberconsumers-fond of sumptuous hanging gardens despite the constraints of a desert climate-but they certainly weren't the last. Today, we have our own version of water-wasting madness in the desert (manicured lawns, golf courses, cotton fields). But unlike Nineveh, the consequences of America's reckless resource use are felt far beyond our borders. By ignoring scientists' warnings on such issues as global warming, we are poised to destroy not only the sustainability of our own nation but that of the entire planet. The authors write, "We must keep in mind the collapses of previous civilizations; when they disappeared, there were other places and other peoples to create new civilizations. What is at risk now is a global civilization." The Ehrlichs point to well-known, yet alarming statistics of environmental degradation. For example, only about half of Earth's original forest cover remains. Similarly, 8,000 square miles of land, much of it high-quality agricultural acreage, is lost to suburban sprawl every year in the United States. And offshore, three-fifths of the ocean's vital fish stocks were deemed depleted by 1994. In short, the authors write, "in gaining its dominant position on the planet, humanity has already consumed a large portion of its vast inheritance of natural capital." North America is not solely to blame. The authors highlight
other wealthy nations, multinational corporations, and vocal religious
interests who oppose family planning and remain unconcerned by a human
population racing toward a projected 9 billion mark by 2050. But the United
States is in a unique position to effect profound change. Unfortunately,
the country's leadership sees little value in conserving, preserving,
curbing pollution or embracing efficiency. At the 1992 Earth Summit, President
George H. W. Bush summed up the prevailing sentiment when he said that
the "American way of life" is "not negotiable." And perhaps that is why
a reminder of Nineveh is as resonant today as it was for Kipling. As U.S.
philosopher and poet George Santayana warned, "Those who cannot remember
the past are condemned to repeat it." Editors' Recommendations Trekker pocket microscope, manufactured by Looksmall.com. Magnification: 35X. Fully coated lenses. White LED annular light source. $79.95 at the Academy Store. Two years ago we reviewed the first of these pocket microscopes, the Micron, and found it surprisingly overpowered. Since then, the manufacturers have gone back to the drawing board. Their new Trekker model, designed for working in the field, is almost perfect. I took it along on a trip to the Trinity Alps, where it was pressed into service to examine sand grains, ants, live spiders in vials, pine cone scales, and dragonfly wings. Each pollen grain, wing vein and leaf gland was clearly visible. With this little (4"x1") scope, I was able to identify a live spider the size of a pinhead down to sex and species. I held the glass vial over the viewing port with two fingers, and once the spider settled down, got a sharp view of the relevant parts. In most cases ambient light was sufficient; depth of field and resolution were both excellent. Accidentally spilling ethyl alcohol on the scope caused it no damage. Dropping it did not even scratch the housing. Its small size and flat, disk-shaped design allow it to be carried in a pocket, operated with one hand, or mounted on a camera tripod. The removable 10x eyepiece can be ingeniously reversed to suit either the left or right eye, while the soft rubber cup surrounding the optic ensures comfort. The eyepiece detatches for use as a loupe on objects too large or awkwardly situated to be examined with the microscope. All in all, an excellent instrument. Under Antarctic Ice: The Photographs of Norbert Wu, text by Jim Mastro and photographic notes by Norbert Wu. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, 2004. 192 pp.; 140 color photographs, $39.95 cloth. Norbert Wu's most recent book captures the wonderland that is Antarctica. More than just sharply focused and beautifully colored, Wu's images show life in all its exuberance survviving conditions too harsh for human endurance. Here, Weddell seals give birth on ice shelves. Water-tunneled icebergs harbor fish who lie on their stomachs in tubes of ice. Jim Mastro's text weaves 40 years of scientific experience, including 250 Antarctic dives, around Wu's exquisite images. Each caption is densely packed with intriguing facts. This book is far, far more than a collection of pretty pictures. It is a treat for lovers of the Antarctic. |