Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Making Contact
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.sarahscoles.com/
CITY: Denver
STATE: CO
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: no2017100894
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/no2017100894
HEADING: Scoles, Sarah
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100 1_ |a Scoles, Sarah
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670 __ |a Making contact, 2017: |b title page (Sarah Scoles) dust jacket flap (a science writer; a former editor at Astronomy magazine; worked at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory; lives in Denver, Colorado)
PERSONAL EDUCATION:
Agnes Scott College, B.A.; Cornell University, M.F.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, editor, and science journalist. National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Green Bank, WV, former public education officer.
WRITINGS
Contributor to magazines and newspapers, including the Atlantic, Washington Post, Scientific American, Wired: Science, Motherboard, and Popular Science.
Astronomy, former associate editor.
SIDELIGHTS
Science journalist Sarah Scoles is a prolific contributor to major science publications such as Scientific American and Popular Science as well as general-interest periodicals, including the Washington Post and the Atlantic. Currently making her home in Denver, Colorado, Scoles was the public education officer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia. She also served as the associate editor for Astronomy magazine. Scoles holds a B.A. in astrophysics from Agnes Scott College and an M.F.A. in fiction writing from Cornell University.
Scoles profiles a scientific pioneer in the field of astronomy in her book Making Contact: Jill Tarter and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Jill Tarter is a prominent astronomer who is largely unknown outside the field, but whose presence and experience within the scientific community has made her a role model for many young scientists. Tartar was one of the cofounders of the SETI institute, a scientific organization dedicated to the search for life elsewhere in the universe. SETI stands for Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, and the institute bearing that name was started in 1984. Tartar, however, has been on the lookout for radio transmissions from space and other signs of off-Earth intelligence since the late 1960s.
In a book that is a combination of biography and history, Scoles gives an in-depth account of Tartar’s professional career and her experiences both as a female scientist and as a researcher involved in an area considered controversial by some, foolish by others. The author relates that Tartar was the only woman in her class of 300, and that she was a prominent astronomer before she became interested in the radio emissions from space that had the potential to indicate intelligence. Over the years, Tartar experienced misogyny and sexual harassment from colleagues, skepticism from the general public and the scientific community, and indifference and budget cuts from government agencies and donors that funded her mission. Undaunted, she has continued her search despite conditions and setbacks that would have defeated someone less dedicated to the cause.
Supplemental to Tartar’s biographical information, Scoles also includes background on the history of the SETI Institute and the decades-long search for extraterrestrial life. More importantly, she charts astronomical discoveries that have greatly increased the odds that intelligent life lives somewhere in the vastness beyond our terrestrial awareness, along with the changes in technology that make discovering that intelligence more likely.
Scoles’s book pulls “double duty as a history of the SETI Institute and the only adult biography of Tarter,” commented a Library Journal writer. For this book, Scoles “has done her homework, so readers will both understand and sympathize with Tarter, who has become an icon and role model despite pursuing a goal she knows she will never achieve,” remarked a writer in Kirkus Reviews.
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, June 1, 2017, review of Making Contact: Jill Tartar and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
Library Journal, July 1, 2017, review of Making Contact, p. 95.
Publishers Weekly, May 1, 2017, review of Making Contact, p. 49.
Sarah Scoles a Denver-based freelance science journalist and contributor at WIRED Science. She is the author of MAKING CONTACT: JILL TARTER AND THE SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE, and her work has appeared in The Atlantic, the Washington Post, Motherboard, Scientific American, Popular Science, and others. Previously, she was was an associate editor at Astronomy and a public education officer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia. She has an MFA in Fiction Writing from Cornell University and a BA in Astrophysics from Agnes Scott College.
Print Marked Items
Scoles, Sarah: MAKING CONTACT
Kirkus Reviews.
(June 1, 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Scoles, Sarah MAKING CONTACT Pegasus (Adult Nonfiction) $27.95 7, 4 ISBN: 978-1-68177-441-1
The inspiring story of an important American astronomer who co-founded the SETI Institute, which was
created "to study all aspects of the existence, formation, and evolution of life in the universe.Reputable
astronomers and other scientists have searched for extraterrestrial transmissions since the 1960s. Educated
readers might name Carl Sagan as the lead figure, but that role belongs to Jill Tarter (b. 1944), an impressive
pioneer who receives an admiring, insightful biography by Scoles, a former editor of Astronomy magazine
who worked at the observatory where the first SETI project was implemented. "If there's just us, that seems
an awful waste of space," is a line from the 1997 film Contact, delivered by Jodie Foster, a character partly
based on Tarter, and both the real and fictional astronomer remain an inspiration to women entering science.
The sole woman among 300 in her undergraduate class, Tarter did significant work in astronomy before
becoming fascinated with stellar radio emissions that might indicate intelligent life. Although not the first,
her persistence, imagination, and charisma have made her an iconic figure in the search for extraterrestrial
life. Plucking an alien transmission from the avalanche of human and natural radio emissions is technically
demanding, requiring sophisticated engineering. NASA provided modest support until Congress killed it.
The Air Force pays to use its detectors, but fundraising preoccupies SETI leaders, Tarter included. When she
began, scientists knew only one solar system and considered life a delicate phenomenon. Now we know that
our galaxy contains 100 billion planets, and plenty of earthly organisms ("extremophiles") live in ice,
boiling water, miles under the earth or sea, and amid toxic chemicals and radiation. Astrobiology has
become a highly respected profession. Scoles has done her homework, so readers will both understand and
sympathize with Tarter, who has become an icon and role model despite pursuing a goal she knows she will
never achieve.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Scoles, Sarah: MAKING CONTACT." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2017. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A493329141/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c0f494c7.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A493329141
Making Contact: Jill Tarter and the Search
for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
Publishers Weekly.
264.18 (May 1, 2017): p49.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Making Contact: Jill Tarter and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
Sarah Scoles. Pegasus, $27.95 (336p)
ISBN 978-1-68177-441-1
In this biography, science writer Scoles celebrates the life and work of astronomer Jill Cornell Tarter and the
search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), the movement whose beating heart she has long been. Tarter
has been searching the skies since the late 1960s, when computers ran on information from punch cards. In
that time she has battled skeptical donors, derisive politicians, and constant misogyny. She was also the
inspiration for the character of Ellie Arroway in the novel Contact. Scoles shares milestones and anecdotes
from Tarter's life while explaining what SETI is and how it has evolved with technological advancements.
Scoles also notes the recent events that make it more possible that we may one day find life outside our
world: the detection of planets orbiting distant stars and the discovery of extremophiles, which are terrestrial
organisms that live in extreme conditions. Over time, Tarter's team at the Center for SETI Research grew to
include chemists, geologists, philosophers, and others. The book's only drawback is that its narrative skips
back and forth, which can make the chronology confusing. That flaw aside, Scoles shares the fantastic story
of people willing to pursue a quixotic goal in the face of daunting odds. Agent: Zoe Sandler, ICM. (July)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Making Contact: Jill Tarter and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence." Publishers Weekly, 1 May
2017, p. 49. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A491575332/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=8e348573. Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A491575332
Sciences
Library Journal.
142.12 (July 1, 2017): p95+.
COPYRIGHT 2017 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No
redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
Berman, Bob. Zapped: From Infrared to X-Rays, the Curious History of Invisible Light. Little, Brown. Aug.
2017. 272p. illus. index. ISBN 9780316311304. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780316311311. SCI
We are surrounded by a vital substance we cannot see. Berman (Zoom; The Sun's Heartbeat) tracks the
history of invisible light from the findings of early Greek and Arab thinkers who observed the eye to
discoveries of 19th-century scientists William Herschel, Heinrich Hertz, Michael Faraday, and the Curies.
The author explores different types of invisible light including radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation,
and cosmic rays. He explains the principles behind microwave ovens, cell phones, GPS trackers, and Xrays,
as well as the controversies over the perceived dangers of these technologies. Berman also addresses
fantastical applications of light waves such as ray guns and ESP and still emerging fields of zero-point
energy and dark energy. The author excels at making complex concepts accessible for lay readers.
VERDICT Like other books that focus on common but often murky topics (for instance, Mark Kurlansky's
Salt, Mary Roach's Stiff, and Donald Canfield's Oxygen), this is a great option for those curious about
history, theories, and function of everyday things.--Catherine Lantz, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago Lib.
Berns, Gregory. What It's Like To Be a Dog: And Other Adventures in Animal Neuroscience. Basic. Sept.
2017. 304p. photos. notes. index. ISBN 9780465096244. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780465096251. NAT HIST
The science of brain imaging involves measuring the physical activity in the brain using magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI). Berns (psychology & neuroeconomics, Emory Univ.; How Dogs Love Us) describes his
Dog Project--an MRI study to see what the structure and functioning of the canine brain might reveal about
the animal's inner life. Scanning the brains of nearly 20 dogs, Berns found that the canine organ bears a
striking resemblance to our own and therefore dogs probably experience pain, joy, and other mental and
emotional states much as we do. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of this project was the dogs
themselves. Volunteered by their owners to undergo a rigorous MRI training regimen (albeit with lots of
treats), these pets learned to endure the loud noise of the MRI machine, to place their heads in a coil, and to
remain still during scanning. Ultimately, Berns hopes to build an archive of the three-dimensional brain
structures of the earth's megafauna--an ambitious project he calls the Brain Ark. VERDICT It's not
necessary to be a dog lover to enjoy this blend of compelling storytelling and clearly explained
neuroscience. Recommended for anyone interested in the biological continuities between humans and our
fellow sentient beings.--Cynthia Lee Knight, Hunterdon Cty. Historical Soc., Flemington, NJ
Clayton, John. Wonderlandscape: Yellowstone National Park and the Evolution of an American Cultural
Icon. Pegasus. Aug. 2017. 298p. photos. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781681774572. $27.95; ebk. ISBN
9781681774961. SCI
Though Yellowstone National Park's natural wonders are many, Clayton demonstrates that its cultural
history is equally rich. He's written about the West before in books (The Cowboy Girl) and journals
(Montana Quarterly) and lives on the outskirts of Yellowstone. This text fits into ten chapters (or "stories" as
the author calls them), all titled with one-word adjectives (e.g., "Special," "Rugged," "Patriotic,"
"Teachable," and "Threatened"). Organized chronologically, the volume traces Yellowstone's Anglo (i.e., not
indigenous) history from the park's inception in 1872 to the forest fires of 1988; in an epilog, Clayton
considers, among other possibilities, its supervolcanic end. The cast of characters includes both the famous
and less well known: painter and printmaker Thomas Moran, photographer Ansel Adams, naturalists Ernest
Thompson Seton and Frank and John Craighead, the Old Faithful Inn's architect Robert Reamer, and even
the "smarter than the average" cartoon bear, Yogi. Readers get a sense of the park's changing meaning over
time and will see a fascinating interplay between nature and culture, each shaping the other. VERDICT A
consummate American location receives a considered, nuanced treatment. National parks--especially
Yellowstone--are widely popular, and this title should attract rapt audiences who wish to learn more about
nature, history, or travel.--Robert Eagan, Windsor P.L., Ont.
Scoles, Sarah. Making Contact: Jill Tarter and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Pegasus. Jul.
2017. 288p. index. ISBN 9781681774411. $27.95; ebk. ISBN 9781681774916. SCI.
Astronomer, SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute cofounder, and inspiration for the
protagonist of the Carl Sagan novel (and later film) Contact, Jill Tarter has devoted more than 40 years to
searching for intelligent life in the universe. Throughout, she has battled sexism, opponents of her work
(both political and scientific), and reluctant flinders. Scholarly existential doubt has posed her greatest
challenge: When a lifetime of research yields no positive findings, is it because "nobody's out there," or
because the odds of success--while greater than zero--are infinitesimal? According to science writer and
former National Radio Astronomy Observatory science educator Scoles, what has sustained Tarter is a
strong belief in carpe diem, stemming from her father's death during her childhood, and the hope that
earthlings will get along better the more we learn about our place in the cosmos. Although the story line
sprawls temporally and geographically and the last chapter includes a few too many details, those are minor
flaws in a title pulling double duty as a history of the SETI Institute and the only adult biography of Tarter.
VERDICT Readers interested in popular science, parascience, or women's studies will find this book
absorbing.--Nancy R. Curtis, Univ. of Maine Lib., Orono
Stewart, Ian. Significant Figures: The Lives and Work of Great Mathematicians. Basic. Sept. 2017. 320p.
illus. notes. index. ISBN 9780465096121. $27; ebk. ISBN 9780465096138. MATH
One of the stated goals of this book is to dispel the idea that mathematicians are boring, and this delightful
title goes a long way toward that aim. In 25 brief chapters, Stewart (mathematics, Univ. of Warwick, UK;
Infinity: A Very Short Introduction) profiles a wide range of renowned mathematicians, men and women,
from many countries and educational backgrounds. The author provides capsule biographies of the
mathematicians. An overview of their contributions is followed by a more in-depth look at their work placed
in the context of their life story. Usually, this is capped off with an explanation of how their achievements
are important to mathematics or to everyday life. This last section is particularly noteworthy because readers
who have not previously studied math at the college level are unlikely to comprehend the equations. Still,
overall, Stewart succeeds, demonstrating the interconnectedness of mathematics: most chapters make
reference to at least one other character in the book, plus a host of others deemed insufficiently impressive
to warrant their own treatment. VERDICT Best appreciated and understood by advanced students of
mathematics.--Cate Hirschbiel, Iwasaki Lib., Emerson Coll., Boston
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Sciences." Library Journal, 1 July 2017, p. 95+. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A497612736/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c3681ed9.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A497612736