Life on Mars: The Complete Story

True to is title, this book is entirely devoted to life on the red planet, but does not restrict itself to the modern scientific data. Instead, the text chronologically explores the evolution of the idea of Martian life in the last few centuries.Mostly based on the scientific results of each period (except the last part), the author starts his expose with the knowledge acquired before the space age. The 'canali' of Schiaparelli turned into canals with Percival Lowell, which lead to the conclusion that a Martian civilization did exist. The debate raged for decades, until technological improvements finally killed the civilized Martians. Mars was a dead planet after all.Then came the space age, the Soviet and American probes were sent to Mars, confirming Mars as a dead planet... but revealing a once warmer world, with rivers. And if Viking failed to detect life (did it?), what about extinct life?The third part follows with the possibilities of fossil life and the famed Martian meteorite ALH84001. With a comparison of the origins of life on Earth, the chapter tries to deduce where life could be hiding now.The final part leaves the area of science and enters the realm of conspiracies and telepathy, Cydonians, UFOs, movies and books. After all, they are all manifestations of Martian life, at least in our culture.Quite easy to read, this book effectively covers the 'life' subject, and, as a bonus, provides an interesting look at the evolution or scientific knowledge. However, you won't learn much about the red planet, since the astronomical and geological data are quite rare, and, unfortunately, badly documented, contradictory or even false.For a complete coverage of ALH84001, you may be interested in Donald Goldsmith's "The Hunt For Life On Mars" (1998, ISBN 0452278554).