CFIC T.O. – Science & Philosophy Book Club “Strange New Worlds: The Search for Alien Planets and Life Beyond Our Solar System” by Ray Jay

This group is hosted by CFI Canada members Christine Gagnon and Vlad Bunea at our National Headquarters, 55 Eglinton Ave E., Suite 307, Buzzer Code 49, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. Suggested donation is $5. There is an after-event at a location near the office.

The goal is to provide a friendly, free-thinking environment in which to discuss books that inspire rewarding conversation on subjects related to science and philosophy.

In Strange New Worlds, renowned astronomer Ray Jayawardhana brings news from the front lines of the epic quest to find planets—and alien life—beyond our solar system.  In this book, Ray vividly recounts the stories of the scientists and the remarkable breakthroughs that have ushered in this extraordinary age of exploration. He describes the latest findings—including his own—that are challenging our view of the cosmos and casting new light on the origins and evolution of planets and planetary systems. He reveals how technology is rapidly advancing to support direct observations of Jupiter-like gas giants and super-Earths—rocky planets with several times the mass of our own planet—and how astronomers use biomarkers to seek possible life on other worlds.

CFIC Toronto‘s Events Coordinator, Christopher Myrick gave his review on Goodreads: “Nice, detailed history of astronomical exploration. Spiced with short biographies of astronomers, and personal anecdotes, breaking up and enlivening what could have been a story about filters, lenses and equations. Opening and closing chapters harken to Sagan’s “Pale Blue Dot,” in the latter with explicit reference. Much easier physics than what is found in “Neutrino Hunters,” though Jupiter-sized objects are more comprehensible than the sub-atomic. As with many of my favorite science writers – such as Matt Ridley and Olivia Judson – Jayawardhana cut his teeth at “The Economist.”

Ray Jaywardhana, aka Ray Jay, is currently the dean of science and a professor of physics & astronomy at York University. He had been a professor and the Canada Research Chair in Observational Astrophysics at the University of Toronto.