Rating: 
Summary: Very Readable, Slightly Repetitive
Review: "Where Is Everybody" is a very readable and enjoyable book that offers 50 possible answers to the question "are we alone in the universe?". The answers offered range from incredibly absurd to extremely thought-provoking. The book does not offer any unique insights or ideas which have not been suggested before. Its value lies in the collection of all of these ideas in a single volume. I found the book enjoyable and easy to read (most of the time).I do have two complaints, however: (1) the book is somewhat repetitive, and I frequently got the sense that the same solution was offered multiple times for the sole purpose of reaching a total of 50 solutions; (2) portions of the book are poorly structured and needlessly use scientific concepts which are not adequately explained in the book. This is most notable in the sections of the book that discuss the biochemistry of life on earth. Bottom line, I really enjoyed "Where Is Everybody?" and I warmly recommend it to anyone interested in the subject.
Rating: 
Summary: A Gem of a Book
Review: "Where is Everybody?" is a fantastic book. It is thought-provoking and very fun to read. One strength of this book has to do with its versatile approach. Stephen Webb masterfully conveys the intensely interdisciplinary nature of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. He delves into anthropology, biology, physics, sociology, and many other disciplines. This diversity of approaches allows most readers to find something familiar and interesting in his analysis. Webb also writes quite well and makes many complex scientific ideas clear to the layman (like me). The greatest strength of "Where is Everybody?" lies in its power to provoke. I often found myself pausing to contemplate the implications of what I was reading. I was particularly fascinated by Webb's discussion of the cultural and linguistics prerequisites for higher intelligence. Though I sometimes found his objections to certain solutions rather flimsy, I appreciated how clearly Webb summarizes the findings from a huge body of research. As Webb admits repeatedly, his analysis has glaring limitations. He ignores the possibility of life based on silicon or methane. He passes over world like Europa, which could have the biggest ocean in the solar system hidden under its ice surface. Is it so impossible that a civilization of ocean dwellers could arise in such conditions? Additionally, worlds like Europe might avoid many of the dangers facing more earth-like worlds (solar radiation, gamma bursters, etc). These are just a few of the possibilities that I wish Webb spent more time discussing. All in all, I think that Webb's position is an argument against excessive optimism about the prospect of intelligent extraterrestrial life existing elsewhere. I still can't shake the feeling that intelligent life exists somewhere in the universe, if not our galaxy (Webb focuses almost exclusively on our galaxy). But I emphatically agree with Webb's conclusion that the relative scarcity of intelligent life makes it even more precious here on earth.
Rating:
Summary: A Book that Celebrates the Pleasure of Speculative Thinking
Review: +++++
As the author, physicist Stephen Webb states, "The purpose of this book is to present and discuss 50 proposed solutions to Fermi's [Paradox]." Webb also states Enrico Fermi's (1901-1954) paradox (which he uttered in 1950) more eloquently as "the contradiction between the apparent absence of aliens, and the common expectation that we should see evidence of their existence...[in the form of] their craft or their probes or their signals [or even their artifacts]. We should not have to wait for evidence of their existence--the evidence should already be here."
This contradiction has a greater significance when the famous Drake equation is used to calculate the possible number of advanced civilizations in our Galaxy. Webb does a calculation based on this equation (before he delves into the solutions to Fermi's paradox) and gets a number of one million. (The late Dr. Carl Sagan did the same thing in his book "Cosmos" (1980) and came up with a number of ten million.) Thus, "The Galaxy should be swarming with extraterrestrial civilizations. Yet we see no sign of them. We should already know of their existence, but we do not. Where is everybody? Where are they? This is the Fermi Paradox."
This book (that has many black-and-white pictures as well as diagrams) is for the general, educated reader. "One of the beauties of the Fermi Paradox is that it can be appreciated without the need for any [science or] mathematics beyond an understanding of exponential notation."
Forty-nine (specific) solutions (which are not intended to be exhaustive) are presented in chapters three, four, and five of this eight chapter book. These solutions come from scientists in several different scientific fields and even science fiction authors. As the author says, "[These are] my favorite [specific] solutions to the paradox; not all of them are independent, and sometimes I revisit a solution in another guise...In the discussion [of each solution] I will try to be as even-handed as possible, even if I disagree with the solution (which I often do)."
The way these specific solutions are organized is around three general categorical answers. These general answers that are for optimists, SETI enthusiasts, and pessimists respectively are as follows:
(1) Chapter three contains 8 specific solutions based on the general answer that THEY ARE HERE.
(2) Chapter four contains 22 specific solutions based on the general answer that THEY EXIST BUT HAVE NOT YET COMMUNICATED.
(3) Chapter five contains 19 specific solutions based on the general answer that THEY DO NOT EXIST.
For example, someone might ask Fermi's question of "Where is everybody?" Picking one of these three general categorical answers presented above, a general answer might be "They exist but have not yet communicated." One of the 22 specific solutions presented in this book based on this general answer is that "We have not listened [for their signals] long enough." (This is the favorite solution of Dr. Frank Drake, co-founder of the SETI Institute).
Chapter six contains the fiftieth solution to the paradox that is the author's "own view of the resolution of the paradox." Actually, what is presented is a numerical solution to the paradox that is based on some of the qualitative solutions presented in chapters three to five.
Chapter one presents a general introduction to the topic and outlines the entire book. The second chapter gives a brief biography of Fermi, discusses the notion of a paradox, and presents a brief discussion of the history of the Fermi Paradox (and, as well, gives a good discussion of the Drake equation). Chapter seven presents as notes all the footnotes used in the book (that make for interesting reading in themselves). The final chapter cites all the references that were used.
I did find some minor errors but listing these would be nit-picking as they do not distract the reader from the main message of the book. For example, the math error that occurs in step five of the author's solution (chapter six) does not really matter to the author's overall result.
I was, however, surprised by two things:
First, the Fermi Paradox implies two obvious ideas: the aliens must be intelligent (if they are to build special craft that travel vast distances or to build sophisticated equipment to signal others of their presence) and they must have some kind of appendages that enable them to manipulate tools (used to build craft or equipment). It would have thus been instructive to have a general discussion of both these topics near the beginning of the book instead of at its end.
Second, after giving a good discussion of the Drake equation and praising the book "Rare Earth" which has the Rare Earth equation, the author chooses to ignore these equations and perform his own numerical calculation (which has elements of both the stated equations). I feel, with the added insight gained from the previous 49 solutions, that he could have plugged in values into these two equations first before performing his own calculation. A comparison of the final numerical answers would have been interesting and, I think, instructive.
Finally, I recommend these two books after reading this one: (1) "Is Anyone Out There?" (paperback, 1994) by Frank Drake. (2) "Rare Earth" (paperback, 2003) by Ward and Brownlee.
In conclusion, this is a unique book that presents the best discussion of the Fermi Paradox that I have encountered. Be sure to read this book to enjoy the sheer pleasure of speculative thinking!!
+++++
Rating:
Summary: A Book that Celebrates the Pleasure of Speculative Thinking
Review: =====> As the author, physicist Stephen Webb states, "The purpose of this book is to present and discuss 50 proposed solutions to Fermi's [Paradox]." Webb also states Enrico Fermi's (1901-1954) paradox (which he uttered in 1950) more eloquently as "the contradiction between the apparent absence of aliens, and the common expectation that we should see evidence of their existence...[in the form of] their craft or their probes or their signals [or even their artifacts]. We should not have to wait for evidence of their existence--the evidence should already be here." This contradiction has a greater significance when the famous Drake equation is used to calculate the possible number of advanced civilizations in our Galaxy. Webb does a calculation based on this equation (before he delves into the solutions to Fermi's paradox) and gets a number of one million. (The late Dr. Carl Sagan did the same thing in his book "Cosmos" (1980) and came up with a number of ten million.) Thus, "The Galaxy should be swarming with extraterrestrial civilizations. Yet we see no sign of them. We should already know of their existence, but we do not. Where is everybody? Where are they? This is the Fermi Paradox." This book (that has many black-and-white pictures as well as diagrams) is for the general, educated reader. "One of the beauties of the Fermi Paradox is that it can be appreciated without the need for any [science or] mathematics beyond an understanding of exponential notation." Forty-nine (specific) solutions (which are not intended to be exhaustive) are presented in chapters three, four, and five of this eight chapter book. These solutions come from scientists in several different scientific fields and even science fiction authors. As the author says, "[These are] my favorite [specific] solutions to the paradox; not all of them are independent, and sometimes I revisit a solution in another guise...In the discussion [of each solution] I will try to be as even-handed as possible, even if I disagree with the solution (which I often do)." The way these specific solutions are organized is around three general categorical answers. These general answers that are for optimists, SETI enthusiasts, and pessimists respectively are as follows: chapter three contains 8 specific solutions based on the general answer that THEY ARE HERE; chapter four contains 22 specific solutions based on the general answer that THEY EXIST BUT HAVE NOT YET COMMUNICATED; and chapter five contains 19 specific solutions based on the general answer that THEY DO NOT EXIST. For example, someone might ask Fermi's question of "Where is everybody?" Picking one of these three general categorical answers presented above, a general answer might be "They exist but have not yet communicated." One of the 22 specific solutions presented in this book based on this general answer is that "We have not listened [for their signals] long enough." (This is the favorite solution of Dr. Frank Drake, co-founder of the SETI Institute). Chapter six contains the fiftieth solution to the paradox that is the author's "own view of the resolution of the paradox." Actually, what is presented is a numerical solution to the paradox that is based on some of the qualitative solutions presented in chapters three to five. Chapter one presents a general introduction to the topic and outlines the entire book. The second chapter gives a brief biography of Fermi, discusses the notion of a paradox, and presents a brief discussion of the history of the Fermi Paradox (and, as well, gives a good discussion of the Drake equation). Chapter seven presents as notes all the footnotes used in the book (that make for interesting reading in themselves). The final chapter cites all the references that were used. I did find some minor errors but listing these would be nit-picking as they do not distract the reader from the main message of the book. For example, the math error that occurs in step five of the author's solution (chapter six) does not really matter to the author's overall result. I was, however, surprised by two things: First, the Fermi Paradox implies two obvious ideas: the aliens must be intelligent (if they are to build special craft that travel vast distances or to build sophisticated equipment to signal others of their presence) and they must have some kind of appendages that enable them to manipulate tools (used to build craft or equipment). It would have thus been instructive to have a general discussion of both these topics near the beginning of the book instead of at its end. Second, after giving a good discussion of the Drake equation and praising the book "Rare Earth" which has the Rare Earth equation, the author chooses to ignore these equations and perform his own numerical calculation (which has elements of both the stated equations). I feel, with the added insight gained from the previous 49 solutions, that he could have plugged in values into these two equations first before performing his own calculation. A comparison of the final numerical answers would have been interesting and, I think, instructive. Finally, I recommend these two books after reading this one: (1) "Is Anyone Out There?" (paperback, 1994) by Frank Drake and (2) "Rare Earth" (paperback, 2003) by Ward and Brownlee. In conclusion, this is a unique book that presents the best discussion of the Fermi Paradox that I have encountered. Be sure to read this book to enjoy the sheer pleasure of speculative thinking!! <=====>
Rating:
Summary: A Book that Celebrates the Pleasure of Speculative Thinking
Review: =====> As the author, physicist Stephen Webb states, "The purpose of this book is to present and discuss 50 proposed solutions to Fermi's [Paradox]." Webb also states Enrico Fermi's (1901-1954) paradox (which he uttered in 1950) more eloquently as "the contradiction between the apparent absence of aliens, and the common expectation that we should see evidence of their existence...[in the form of] their craft or their probes or their signals [or even their artifacts]. We should not have to wait for evidence of their existence--the evidence should already be here." This contradiction has a greater significance when the famous Drake equation is used to calculate the possible number of advanced civilizations in our Galaxy. Webb does a calculation based on this equation (before he delves into the solutions to Fermi's paradox) and gets a number of one million. (The late Dr. Carl Sagan did the same thing in his book "Cosmos" (1980) and came up with a number of ten million.) Thus, "The Galaxy should be swarming with extraterrestrial civilizations. Yet we see no sign of them. We should already know of their existence, but we do not. Where is everybody? Where are they? This is the Fermi Paradox." This book (that has many black-and-white pictures as well as diagrams) is for the general, educated reader. "One of the beauties of the Fermi Paradox is that it can be appreciated without the need for any [science or] mathematics beyond an understanding of exponential notation." Forty-nine (specific) solutions (which are not intended to be exhaustive) are presented in chapters three, four, and five of this eight chapter book. These solutions come from scientists in several different scientific fields and even science fiction authors. As the author says, "[These are] my favorite [specific] solutions to the paradox; not all of them are independent, and sometimes I revisit a solution in another guise...In the discussion [of each solution] I will try to be as even-handed as possible, even if I disagree with the solution (which I often do)." The way these specific solutions are organized is around three general categorical answers. These general answers that are for optimists, SETI enthusiasts, and pessimists respectively are as follows: chapter three contains 8 specific solutions based on the general answer that THEY ARE HERE; chapter four contains 22 specific solutions based on the general answer that THEY EXIST BUT HAVE NOT YET COMMUNICATED; and chapter five contains 19 specific solutions based on the general answer that THEY DO NOT EXIST. For example, someone might ask Fermi's question of "Where is everybody?" Picking one of these three general categorical answers presented above, a general answer might be "They exist but have not yet communicated." One of the 22 specific solutions presented in this book based on this general answer is that "We have not listened [for their signals] long enough." (This is the favorite solution of Dr. Frank Drake, co-founder of the SETI Institute). Chapter six contains the fiftieth solution to the paradox that is the author's "own view of the resolution of the paradox." Actually, what is presented is a numerical solution to the paradox that is based on some of the qualitative solutions presented in chapters three to five. Chapter one presents a general introduction to the topic and outlines the entire book. The second chapter gives a brief biography of Fermi, discusses the notion of a paradox, and presents a brief discussion of the history of the Fermi Paradox (and, as well, gives a good discussion of the Drake equation). Chapter seven presents as notes all the footnotes used in the book (that make for interesting reading in themselves). The final chapter cites all the references that were used. I did find some minor errors but listing these would be nit-picking as they do not distract the reader from the main message of the book. For example, the math error that occurs in step five of the author's solution (chapter six) does not really matter to the author's overall result. I was, however, surprised by two things: First, the Fermi Paradox implies two obvious ideas: the aliens must be intelligent (if they are to build special craft that travel vast distances or to build sophisticated equipment to signal others of their presence) and they must have some kind of appendages that enable them to manipulate tools (used to build craft or equipment). It would have thus been instructive to have a general discussion of both these topics near the beginning of the book instead of at its end. Second, after giving a good discussion of the Drake equation and praising the book "Rare Earth" which has the Rare Earth equation, the author chooses to ignore these equations and perform his own numerical calculation (which has elements of both the stated equations). I feel, with the added insight gained from the previous 49 solutions, that he could have plugged in values into these two equations first before performing his own calculation. A comparison of the final numerical answers would have been interesting and, I think, instructive. Finally, I recommend these two books after reading this one: (1) "Is Anyone Out There?" (paperback, 1994) by Frank Drake and (2) "Rare Earth" (paperback, 2003) by Ward and Brownlee. In conclusion, this is a unique book that presents the best discussion of the Fermi Paradox that I have encountered. Be sure to read this book to enjoy the sheer pleasure of speculative thinking!! <=====>
Rating:
Summary: Its very good
Review: Almost all books on SETI or ETC (as this writer calls them) just brush aside this problem. This ruins as far as I am concerned almost all of them. So this book is refreshing. The writer starts off with a brief discussion on the Fermi paradox and states quite correctly that it is one of the greatest paradoxes of science today. I agree with him that its answer will be of major significance to us all. He then goes though 50 solutions to the problem that have been suggested. He firstly provides a brief discussion on each point and his comments which you can agree or disagree with. I think that he is fair in his comments until he came to 45 to 49. His comment here, I think need a lot more work. Some such as solution (11) where he discusses that SETI may not want to colonise worlds after making at best a few colonies, I found weak. If only as I would expect that these colony worlds to be more in favour of continuing expanding even more so then the homeworld. One would expect that colony will produce colony. Solution (26) that the SETI after hitting a certain level of technology goes elsewhere eg different universes seemed very similar to solution (13) that they go to place we are not looking for. Maybe it should have been a (13b) rather then its own solution. Solution (34) that the conditions were not suitable for life till very recently is one that I wondered why he did not develop further as it seems to me to be one of the most promising solutions. The conditions that allow a SETI to form is relatively recent in the universe. Although it cannot fully answer the Fermi paradox, as the writer states it, it may be able to answer some of it. Most of the galaxies and stars cannot have a SETI as they are too young. I don't know why he did not use this part in his grand solution (50). His comment to solutions (45) to (49), I think need more work as several others have stated here. His solution at the end (50) is not new and also contains a mathematical error in step 5 half a million x (1 -20%) = 400,000 not 100,000 as he states. Another solution that the author might want to consider might be solution (51) that the ocean covers on earth 3/4 of the globe. This almost all. What if almost all the world was covered in water say 98%, could such a water world create a SETI? I doubt it. Be warned that he supports the position that we are alone and offers quite good reasoning for his position. Its a position I agree with. But at the very least by reading this book you will get the best discussion that I have seen on the Fermi paradox. I liked it so much that after read the book and went out to buy another copy for a friend for his birthday as I wanted to keep this book for reference.
Rating:
Summary: Perceptive look into the paradox of E.T.'s
Review: An insightful look at Enrico Fermi's thought provoking paradox, this book views the thoughts and theories of many scientists and people, and the final of which is brought into perspective by the book's author Stephen Webb. This book Where Are They? By Stephen Webb has introduced new theories towards how I look at extraterrestrials, where they are? Why they haven't contacted earth? These are answered very well, the information has been researched thoroughly by Webb; this is shown with his extensive index and bibliography. I have read other books and research about aliens, but none have compared to this. All the others have been about invasion, and use that they are here, they take a one-sided approach, but not this book; all the angles are covered. It starts with the alien civilizations are already here or have been here in the past. This goes along with many other theories, but his root is unique, he not only includes the theory that the gods of our past were aliens, but that we ourselves are too. Webb is also intelligent enough to use time and distance as a major factor, the fact that other livable worlds may be hundreds, thousands, even millions of light years away is a large factor. Interstellar travel may still be beyond the capabilities of extraterrestrials too. And Webb also utilizes the fact that maybe life itself is a phenomenon and there are no other forms of life in the universe, just here on earth. This is reasonable, but very perplexing, why would the universe be so large if we humans were the only 'intelligent' life? Then the final chapter which happens to be Webb's solution to the paradox, after researching all that he did, he comes out with the fact that the paradox can not be resolved, that there are things in this universe that we are not prepared or able to figure out.
Rating:
Summary: Help you make your mind...
Review: Are we alone? Here a scientist whit a very sharp sense of logic as well of humour examines some of the possible solutions, from the most reasonable to the wildest hypoteses made by science fiction writers and by daring scientists, pausing only a little to consider the idiocies of pseudo-science.Alas, perhaps we are not in an universe teeming whit alien civilizations devoted to save us from our folly! But this book lets the imagination soar, nonetheless, and is a feast for the mind.
Rating:
Summary: Contact is imminent....isn't it?
Review: Attempts to predict the future tend to fall into two classes -- the ridiculously optimistic and the ridiculously conservative. Consider, for example, Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film "2001, a Space Odyssey." Even with guidance from a team of experts including the sagacious scientific futurist Arthur C. Clarke, the story drastically overestimated what was going to be accomplished in space travel during three post-Apollo decades. At the other extreme, Thomas Edison was pretty sure a few theaters in major cities would be adequate to serve America's long-term appetite for motion pictures.
Among the minefields awaiting foolhardy prognosticators, few are more hazardous than the perennial question of extraterrestrial life. As indicated by Stephen Webb's choice of title, "Where is Everybody?" focuses on the famous paradoxical question raised by Enrico Fermi: If the universe is teeming with intelligent lifeforms, why haven't some of them dropped by for a visit or (at least sent us a message) by now? To those who claim they have, Fermi would reply that he meant visits or messages yielding unambiguous evidence. After all, even Art Bell would have to concede that a verifiable contact, vetted by the scientific establishment, would be accepted worldwide within a few news cycles.
The organization of the book couldn't be more straightforward. Webb simply frames fifty candidate resolutions of the Fermi paradox and discusses them one by one, saving his own solution for last. Hence the book has some aspects of a suspense story which I was, despite many temptations, careful not to spoil by jumping to the final chapter. It is amazing how much scientific and philosophical juice can be squeezed from Fermi's innocuous-sounding query by methodically approaching it via every conceivable angle. As a physicist, Webb is able to do his own reasoning and doesn't bore us by neutrally reporting a string of interviews with scientists touting their often-contradictory pet hypotheses. Rather, he summarizes the hypotheses and gives his personal (but informed) evaluations of them. Along the way he offers many insightful detours into matters such as the nature of paradoxes, the Beckenstein Bound, the anthropic principle, multiple universes, mass extinctions, plate tectonics, molecular biology, the prokaryote-eukaryote transition and the uniqueness of language. My only reservation about the author's approach is a feeling that he may have been a little too prone to set aside potential solutions by classifying them as "plausible but not sufficient."
By the time the author steps up to the plate, the reader is well-informed enough to be a credible umpire. Instead of estimating numerical values for the Drake equation, Webb carefully frames his quantitative analysis in an ingenious narrative analog to the sieve of Eratosthenes. Of course no one knows if his answer is right, but I found it quite surprising and much harder to dismiss than I would have before my guided tour of the other forty-nine choices.
Rating:
Summary: Billions Of Channels And Nothing's On?!?
Review: Four guys walk into the caf at Los Alamos for lunch and start discussing extraterrestrial intelligence. They decide that life, intelligence, and conquering the galaxy shouldn't be that hard. Then one of them asks, "where is everybody?" Far from being the beginning of a bad nerd joke, this lunchtime discussion actually took place in the summer of 1950 and Enrico Fermi really did ask the now famous Fermi Question. The discussion and question led to the Fermi Paradox: if the universe is as old as it is, and if the Earth isn't the oldest planet with intelligent life, and conquering the galaxy is as easy as it seems, then where the heck are they? Physicist Stephen Webb does an admirable job of discussing some possible answers to the Fermi Paradox in If The Universe Is Teeming With Aliens...Where Is Everybody?: Fifty Solutions To The Fermi Paradox And The Problem Of Extraterrestrial Life. It's a tough job, even for a fan of the Fermi Paradox like Webb, since it means being well versed in a wide range of subjects AND it means thinking like an alien intelligence. Webb describes and critiques 49 of his favorite solutions, starting with They Are Here And They Call Themselves Hungarians, and then throws in a fiftieth solution of his own design. The solutions are subdivided into three sections: 1) They Are Here, 2) They Exist But Have Not Yet Communicated, and 3)They Do Not Exist. The book is set up so that after reading Chapters 1 and 2, a person can read the solutions as they wish. Some basic math and science skills are required, but the book should be accessible to a wide reading audience. Albeit not a perfect book, I enjoyed reading Where Is Everybody?, especially since it made me think A LOT! This is NOT a book about flying saucers, alien abductions, and forced interspecific sex, so if that's what you're looking for, STAY AWAY from this book. Besides appealing to folks interested in the question of life elsewhere, it should appeal to any person with wide-ranging interests [both the natural sciences and the social sciences] who wants to exercise the full range of their brain power. For serial readers like me, read this one in combination with Rare Earth by Ward and Brownlee and What Does A Martian Look Like? by Cohen and Stewart for a mind expanding [and exploding] experience. The answer to the question "is there life elsewhere?" is profound no matter which way it is answered. I continue to run my SETI@home screensaver and hope. It would be terrible if there were billions of channels and nothing is on.
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