LETTER TO THE BOOKSHELF
A letter regarding James Trefil's review of A Short History of Nearly Everything
I am glad that James Trefil liked Bill Bryson's praiseworthy book A Short History of Nearly Everything (January–February 2004), but I disagree with his statement that "the mysterious region outside the orbit of Pluto" is "not really in the center of planetary science these days." I think it is! There is widespread interest in the so-called Kuiper belt objects, which may be leftover planetesimals that provide the key to understanding the birth of the solar system.
Whether the discovery of Kuiper belt objects larger than Pluto, which is currently the largest, will lead to agreement on a demotion of Pluto's status from that of major planet, is a matter in which the public will be interested, though it is of less scientific importance.
The launch of NASA's New Horizon mission to Pluto and beyond into more of the Kuiper belt will bring still more prominence to this recently accessible area of our solar system.
Jay M. Pasachoff
Field Memorial Professor of Astronomy
Williams College
Williamstown, MA 01267
jay.m.pasachoff@williams.edu
Reviewer James Trefil replies:
While there is no doubt that research on the outer solar system is heating up, if I were choosing a single exciting topic to write about in this area, it would probably be something like the possibility of finding evidence for life on Mars or life itself under the ice on Europa. Finding life or evidence for life anywhere but on Earth would arguably be one of the most important scientific discoveries in history, far eclipsing a better understanding of the role of Pluto.
Jay Pasachoff responds:
Although there is certainly popular interest in the question of life on Mars (or Europa), that is really probably more astrobiology than solar-system astronomy. We run the danger that excessive concentration on the search for life on Mars distorts the public's view of what astronomy and space science do, potentially leaving us high and dry in a few years when the public grows bored with continued bulletins that life hasn't been found on Mars again.
About once a month at Sigma Xi headquarters, we liven up the lunch hour with an American Scientist Pizza Lunch talk. In these informal lectures, scientists describe new research to nonscientists. The series is light on jargon but heavy on solid science. Each Pizza Lunch offers an in-depth look at its subject, whether it's bedbugs or the smart grid. Click below to read about and download these talks -- and to subscribe!
