Mars by Heather Couper and Nigel Henbest, Headline, 拢25, ISBN 0747235430
THE planet Mars has an enduring fascination for us. We snap up stories about it鈥攊ts 鈥渃anals鈥�, that 1938 The War of the Worlds radio broadcast and the tantalising thought that life might once have existed there have kept Mars in the limelight for more than a century.
Heather Couper and Nigel Henbest have produced a beautiful book that tells the story of the planet, often in the words of those actively researching its mysteries. Lavishly illustrated, Mars will appeal to a wide readership. Its text has the breadth and depth to make it a highly worthwhile read.
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Not surprisingly, the search for life is covered in great detail. Couper and Henbest include an interview with Gil Levin, who still believes that his 鈥渓abelled release鈥� experiment on the Viking landers showed the presence of life. We even learn that life could have arisen first on Mars and then been carried to Earth on a meteorite. Perhaps, in Mars, we are looking at our own origins.
The authors also present the evidence from the team who believe that the Martian meteorite ALH84001, found in Antarctica, may contain evidence of past life. But they give due weight to the views of the sceptics, lending the book a commendable balance.