This is the story of the author’s unique scientific journey with one of the most remarkable men of 20th century science. The journey begins in Sri Lanka, the author’s native country, with his childhood acquaintance with Fred Hoyle’s writings. The action then moves to Cambridge, where the famous Hoyle-Wickramasinghe collaborations begin. A research programme which was started in 1962 on the carbonaceous nature of interstellar dust leads, over the next two decades, to developments that are continued in both Cambridge and Cardiff. These developments prompt Hoyle and the author to postulate the organic theory of cosmic dust (which is now generally accepted), and then to challenge one of the most cherished paradigms of contemporary science ― the theory that life originated on Earth in a warm primordial soup.This new edition examines the many scientific developments that have transpired since the first edition was published. The discovery of bacteria in the upper reaches of the atmosphere, biological signatures in meteorites, spectroscopy of high-z galaxies and more all mesh with many of the ideas that had their origin in the first edition. Pushing into the future, the updated text examines the many experiments and probes currently operating or planned that will shed more light on the theory of planetary panspermia. A Journey with Fred Hoyle is an intriguing book that delineates the progress of a collaboration spanning 40 years, through a sequence of personal reflections, anecdotes and reminiscences.
Editorial Reviews
Review
A Journey with Fred Hoyle is an intriguing, pacey insight into the working of a fertile scientific mind, and especially one focussed on a topic that is not in the mainstream of astronomical and biological endeavour. I enjoyed A Journey with Fred Hoyle greatly. — The Observatory Magazine “The Observatory Magazine”
An enlightening account of a 40-year scientific collaboration between two remarkable men. — Lord Rees “OM, Astronomer Royal”
The Hoyle-Wickramasinghe collaboration was notable for the daring leaps over knowledge gaps they were prepared to make. This book is a valuable guide to their corpus, and can serve as a source of ideas and speculations. — International Journal of Astrobiology “International Journal of Astrobiology”
This book is of great interest; it is written in an accessible and exciting way; and I recommend it for a broad readership — Structural Chemistry “Structural Chemistry”
This is a fine blend of personal anecdotes, travel impressions, and scientific reporting – interesting, informative, and worth reading. — Choice “Choice”
This is the story of the remarkable 40-year friendship and scientific collaboration between the British astrophysicist Fred Hoyle and the Sri Lankan mathematician and astronomer Chandra Wickramasinghe. The work they are most famous for is their painstaking building of the case for a cosmic origin of life. — New Scientist “New Scientist”
From the Back Cover
This is the story of the author’s unique scientific journey with one of the most remarkable men of 20th century science. The journey begins in Sri Lanka, the author’s native country, with his childhood acquaintance with Fred Hoyle’s writings. The action then moves to Cambridge, where the famous Hoyle Wickramasinghe collaborations begin. A research programme which was started in 1962 on the carbonaceous nature of interstellar dust leads, over the next two decades, to developments that are continued in both Cambridge and Cardiff. These developments prompt Hoyle and the author to postulate the organic theory of cosmic dust (which is now generally accepted), and then to challenge one of the most cherished paradigms of contemporary science the theory that life originated on Earth in a warm primordial soup.
Two new chapters plus revisions to the other chapters bring the book up to date and thus make it more relevant, just as recent findings mesh with many of the ideas that had their origin in the first edition. Ongoing research relating to life outside the Earth, the search for extrasolar planets as well as panspermia connect with this earlier work, so that tracing links become easier. A Journey with Fred Hoyle is an intriguing book that delineates the progress of a collaboration spanning 40 years, through a sequence of personal reflections, anecdotes and reminiscences.
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