Since the 1950s, there have been men and women around the world claiming to have had contact with human-like visitors from space. This book explores how the ""Contactee"" subculture has critiqued political, social and cultural trends in the United States, Europe and elsewhere. Not merely quaint relics of the 1950s Atomic Age, Contactees have continued their messages of political and cultural transformation into the 21st century. Regardless of whether these alleged contacts took the form of physical meetings or channeled paranormal psychic communications, or whether they actually happened at all, Contactees have provided a consistently relevant source of commentary on this world and beyond.

Radu Cinamar rose to prominence after exposing a mysterious and unprecedented collaboration of American and Romanian military troops who conducted an expedition beneath the Romanian Sphinx in the Bucegi Mountains and uncovered the greatest archeological find of all time: a mysterious chamber some 50,000 years old containing holographic records of Earth's history, bio-resonance imaging technology, and three mysterious tunnels leading to the deepest secrets of the Inner Earth. Despite the political intrigue, turmoil and restriction around this great discovery, the leader of the expedition enabled Radu Cinamar to visit and explore these artifacts. Ever since, Radu's life has been a labyrinthine adventure of strange events, clandestine liaisons and extraordinary people and circumstances. In Transylvanian Moonrise, Radu is sought out by the mysterious Tibetan lama who orchestrated this discovery while working under an alias as Dr. Xien, a secret agent for the Chinese government. Radu's meeting with the lama is arranged by a mysterious alchemist whose ancestors have lived for hundreds of years by pursuing a secret tradition of the Great Work which prolongs life indefinitely until one can evolve beyond the physical plane. After the enigmatic lama reveals how he set the aforementioned events in motion in order to fix major imbalances in the Earth, he introduces Radu to a creature known as a yidam, an energetic and physical being created by a sand mandala ritual. After literally warping the space-time continuum, they take Radu on a mystical journey from Transylvania to the mysterious Land of the Gods in Tibet where he receives a secret initiation from Machandi, a blue goddess of ancient antiquity who is very much alive and is prepared to intervene on behalf of Mankind. Journey into this land of mystery and path of initiation and discover what really hides behind the veils of illusion known as the truth.

This book offers a vision of how evolutionary life processes can be modelled. It presents a mathematical description that can be used not only for the full evolution of life on Earth from RNA to modern human societies, but also the possible evolution of life on exoplanets, thus leading to SETI, the current Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence. The main premise underlying this mathematical theory is that the Geometric Brownian Motion (GBM) can be applied as a key stochastic process to model the evolution of life. In the resulting Evo-SETI Theory, the life of any living thing (a cell, an animal, a human, a civilization of humans, or even an ET civilization) is represented by a b-lognormal, i.e., a lognormal probability density function starting at a precise instant (b, birth) then increasing up to a peak time, then decreasing to senility time and then continuing as a straight line down to the time of death. Using this theory, Claudio Maccone arrives at remarkable hypotheses on the development of life and civilizations, the possibility of extraterrestrial life, and when computers will take over the reins from us humans (Singularity). The book develops the mathematical Evo-SETI Theory by integrating a set of articles that the author has published in various journals on Astrobiology and Astronautical Research.

This book presents the result of an innovative challenge, to create a systematic literature overview driven by machine-generated content. Questions and related keywords were prepared for the machine to query, discover, collate and structure by Artificial Intelligence (AI) clustering. The AI-based approach seemed especially suitable to provide an innovative perspective as the topics are indeed both complex, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary, for example, climate, planetary and evolution sciences. Springer Nature has published much on these topics in its journals over the years, so the challenge was for the machine to identify the most relevant content and present it in a structured way that the reader would find useful. The automatically generated literature summaries in this book are intended as a springboard to further discoverability. They are particularly useful to readers with limited time, looking to learn more about the subject quickly and especially if they are new to the topics. Springer Nature seeks to support anyone who needs a fast and effective start in their content discovery journey, from the undergraduate student exploring interdisciplinary content, to Master- or PhD-thesis developing research questions, to the practitioner seeking support materials, this book can serve as an inspiration, to name a few examples. It is important to us as a publisher to make the advances in technology easily accessible to our authors and find new ways of AI-based author services that allow human-machine interaction to generate readable, usable, collated, research content.

Written in the late 1950s at the height of popular fascination with UFO's, Flying Saucers is the great psychologist's brilliantly prescient meditation on the phenomenon that gripped the world. A self-confessed sceptic in such matters, Jung was nevertheless intrigued, not so much by their reality or unreality, but by their psychic aspect. He saw flying saucers as a modern myth in the making, to be passed down the generations just as we have received such myths from our ancestors. In this wonderful and enlightening book Jung sees UFO's as 'visionary rumours', the centre of a quasi-religious cult and carriers of our technological and salvationist fantasies. 40 years later, with entire religions based on the writings of science fiction authors, it is remarkable to see just how right he has proved to be.

This collection of scientific papers provides a state-of-the-art look at current knowledge on ocean worlds in our solar system and beyond. It is the result of a collaborative effort by scientists studying both terrestrial and extraterrestrial oceans, and analyzes the emergence of life and its survival on Earth as well as other potentially habitable planets and moons. The papers examine the more remote provinces of our solar system, focusing on the icy moons of the giant planets, like Europa and Titan, as well as bodies like Ceres and putative extrasolar ocean worlds. Their potential for subsurface liquid water oceans are explored, as is as their astrobiological potential. The collection also takes a look at Earth's own oceans, which offer important clues for the investigation of other ocean worlds. In addition, the collection addresses the outstanding key scientific questions and measurements, technologies and laboratory experiments necessary for the exploration of ocean worlds known today. Previously published in Space Science Reviews in the Topical Collection "Ocean Worlds"

If you had the opportunity to ask an extraterrestrial questions, what would they be? What mysteries would you like to see declassified? Learn the true history of the Earth, from an alien's perspective, as author and channeler Barry Strohm communicates with and receives information from the spirit of an alien named Mou. Discover that aliens have the ability to communicate through psychic channeling and explain our deepest planetary mysteries. Unearth the real truth about Roswell, the Rendlesham Forest Lights, alien abductions, heaven, alien references in the Bible, types of extraterrestrials, their effects on human development, and their influence on ancient structures (such as the Nazca Lines in Peru and the pyramids in Egypt). Find out the role played by the governments of the world in suppressing information about intergalactic visitors. The truth about aliens is not only out there, it's presented right here for you to explore!

New York State is one of the most famous and influential places on the planet, so it should come as no surprise that it has a rich UFO history. The state's first UFO sighting came more than 150 years ago, but it doesn't end there! From important government military intelligence and commercial airline reports to downtown NYC sightings of flying saucers on Broadway and at the Empire State Building, UFOs have been witnessed in the New York State skyscape by some of the most credible people in history. Police officers, movie stars, business men and women, and others have all been privy to strange UFO encounters. Whether it's Jimi Hendrix saved by aliens in upstate New York or geologists investigating crop circles on the north shore of Oneida Lake, people are stepping up to tell their stories. It's been said that famous blackouts, abductions, and special visitations have all occurred while normal New Yorkers have lead their daily lives. So search the skies with us in this comprehensive history of UFOs Over New York. If you dare.

All over the world there are fantastic ruins and objects that cannot be explained by conventional history, archaeology or religion. In the ground-breaking Chariots of the Gods, Erich von Daniken provides answers to these questions...why do religious texts often refer to Gods who descend from fiery chariots? Why do modern space launch sites look like constructions on the plains of Nazca in Peru? Was God an astronaut? By looking at human history and the ruins of ancient civilisations with an open mind, Erich von Daniken offers a new solution to these eternal mysteries in Chariots of the Gods. Why, for instance, do the world's sacred books describe Gods who came down from the sky in fiery chariots and always promised to return? How could an ancient Sanskrit text contain an account which could only be of a journey in an alien craft? Compare photographs of American space centre launch sites to the constructions on the plains of Nazca in Peru. In order to understand the mysteries which Erich von Daniken has catalogued we must go back to these ancient relics with an open mind. We must call in the resources and experience of sciences other than archaeology. Chariots of the Gods is a provocative attempt to explain some of the universe's most interesting mysteries. Erich von Daniken has spent a lifetime gathering evidence to prove that, before the dawn of recorded history, our ancestors were visited by an alien race. Erich von Daniken was responsible for popularising the ancient astronaut hypothesis of human development. Orthodox historians have been sceptical but a vast public have been drawn to his ideas by instinctive interest and wonder. His 26 books have sold over 60 million copies in over 40 languages.

From the Earth's atmosphere to the edges of our Universe, the presence of dust is ubiquitous. One of the main challenges in studying dust in these various environments is thus to harmonize the diverse research techniques and results, including in-situ measurement, remote observation, laboratory experiments and modelling, and analysis of returned samples. For the first time in over a decade, this volume accomplishes exactly that, providing an overarching picture of the current state of dust science and research. Where possible, the papers in this volume emphasize the interconnections, similarities, and differences in the field, synthesizing results from several techniques into one cohesive view. Importantly, astrobiological connections have now been considered. The dust hazard, future technology and research, and space mission requirements and scenarios are also addressed. The outcome of this endeavor is an interdisciplinary compendium with a unified perspective on cosmic dust science. Originally published in Space Science Reviews in the Topical Collection "Cosmic Dust from the Laboratory to the Stars"

Who are they really? You may be astounded to learn that UFOs and extraterrestrial beings have been visiting Earth regularly for ages-but not in the way you might think. And abductions are terrifyingly real. For a very long time, men and women have been confronted with nonhuman beings who physically abused them. Supported by previously overlooked traditional, religious, and spiritual knowledge, this first-of-its-kind study shows that abductions of human beings into UFOs are committed by beings connected to humankind. The philosophical significance of these discoveries is immense. These "space travelers," or visitors, or kidnappers conduct themselves as neutral observers of the progress of Earth's affairs. Even more surprising, they can be human beings like us or elementals (such as fairies and elves), and some of them live among us. His shocking, science-based analysis turns previous notions about UFOs and abductions on their head. The presence of aliens on Earth is now established-but not all aliens are extraterrestrials.

This book appraises the widely held belief that the US government is engaged in a massive cover up of UFOs and an expose of media sensationalism and public gullibility.

Over the past ten years, the discovery of extrasolar planets has opened a new field of astronomy, and this area of research is rapidly growing, from both the observational and theoretical point of view. The presence of many giant exoplanets in the close vicinity of their star shows that these newly discovered planetary systems are very different from the solar system. New theoretical models are being developed in order to understand their formation scenarios, and new observational methods are being implemented to increase the sensitivity of exoplanet detections. In the present book, the authors address the question of planetary systems from all aspects. Starting from the facts (the detection of more than 300 extraterrestrial planets), they first describe the various methods used for these discoveries and propose a synthetic analysis of their global properties. They then consider the observations of young stars and circumstellar disks and address the case of the solar system as a specific example, different from the newly discovered systems. Then the study of planetary systems and of exoplanets is presented from a more theoretical point of view. The book ends with an outlook to future astronomical projects, and a description of the search for life on exoplanets. This book addresses students and researchers who wish to better understand this newly expanding field of research.

Engaging and entertaining, UFO Sightings: The Evidence is the most up-to-date overview of the UFO phenomenon, a controversy that gains strength with each new report of strange happenings in the sky. Written from the skeptical perspective, and applying the scientific method to the cases explored, this book differs greatly from the proparanormal tomes widely available today.
"Most broad survey UFO books contain absolutely uncritical presentations of sensational claims," says author Robert Sheaffer. "Typically, pro-UFO books deliberately omit all facts that tend to discredit the cases."
UFO Sightings is unique because it gives the reader a broad overview of the world of UFOlogy, dealing with most major cases and trends, while offering references and commentary to provide a clear perspective. Incidents and photographs are scrutinized within a framework of objective science.
Included are the Jimmy Carter UFO sighting; the "abduction" of Betty and Barney Hill; the incidents at Exeter; the Men in Black; messages from space; mothmen, wolf girls, and transparent apes; films; the UFO blitz of Mexico; and the comparisons to sightings of fairies and witches in colonial times.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the chemistry of CO2 in relation to surface interactions and photocatalytic transformation by UV radiation. The first part deals with the modelling of an anatase surface, its interaction with CO2, and the spontaneous exchange of oxygen atoms between the gas and solid phases. The book then naturally transitions to the photocatalytic reduction of CO2, achieved by adding UV radiation and traces of water to the experimental system, to produce methane and CO. This photocatalytic reduction is explained in detail and the implications for planetary chemistry (specifically concerning Mars), as well as Earth's atmospheric chemistry and global warming, are discussed.

Like planets in our solar system, exoplanets form, evolve, and interact with their host stars in many ways. As exoplanets acquire material and grow to the final size, their atmospheres are subjected to intense UV and X-radiation and high-energy particle bombardment from the young host star. Whether a planet can retain its atmosphere and the conditions for significant mass loss both depend upon the strength of the host star's high-energy radiation and wind, the distance of the exoplanet from its host star, the gravitational potential of the exoplanet, and the initial chemical composition of the exoplanet atmosphere. This introductory overview describes the physical processes responsible for the emission of radiation and acceleration of winds of host stars that together control the environment of an exoplanet, focusing on topics that are critically important for understanding exoplanetary atmospheres but are usually not posed from the perspective of host stars. Accordingly, both host stars and exoplanets are not studied in isolation but are treated as integrated systems. Stellar magnetic fields, which are the energy source for activity phenomena including high-energy radiation and winds, play a critical role in determining whether exoplanets are habitable. This text is primarily for researchers and graduate students who are studying exoplanet atmospheres and habitability, but who may not have a background in the physics and phenomenology of host stars that provide the environment in which exoplanets evolve. It provides a comprehensive overview of this broad topic rather than going deeply into many technical aspects but includes a large list of references to guide those interested in pursuing these questions. Nonspecialists with a scientific background should also find this text a valuable resource for understanding the critical issues of contemporary exoplanet research.

Is the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence a genuine scientific research programme? David Lamb evaluates claims and counter-claims, and examines recent attempts to establish contact with other intelligent life forms. He considers the benefits and drawbacks of this communication, how we should communicate and whether we actually can. He also assesses competing theories on the origin of life on Earth, discoveries of former solar planets, proposals for space colonies and the consequent technical and ethical issues.

Related link: The SETI Institute
Related link: The SETI@Home project
eBook available with sample pages: HB:0415243416