In 1999 researchers in the fields of astronomy, biology, geology, palaeontology, philosphy, and science education met on the big island of Hawaii to discuss the latest results in the field of bioastronomy. Sometimes also called astrobiology, bioastronomy is the search for life elsewhere in the Universe.
As such, bioastronomy draws together a wide range of topics. Are there other planets out there and how do they form? What is the geological history of the Earth? How did life arise on Earth? Might there be life under the surface of Mars, Europa, or other objects in the solar system? Are there other civilizations in the Galaxy with comparable or more advanced technologies to ours? What would be the impact on humanity if life were found elsewhere? How can we use this endeavor to excite schoolchildren? (Unfortunately, in this reviewer's opinion, only a few of these questions can be answered with any confidence at this time.)
This volume is a fascinating snapshot of the activities underway in these fields. To give only a flavor of the research presented, there are papers on detecting extrasolar planets to a skeptical review of whether the detected low-mass companions to stars really deserve to be called "planets" or not. There are papers on the organic chemistry occurring in interstellar space and on comets and moons to how the products of these chemical reactions might have found their way to Earth or other planets. As one might guess there are plenty of papers focussed on Mars, including one critical evaluation of the claim of evidence of life in the Martian meteorite ALH 840001. There are also many descriptions of on-going, recent, and/or planned SETI programs.
I recommend this conference proceedings highly. It captures the state of research on bioastronomy in 1999 and is an invaluable companion for one trying to keep up with this field. The multi- or cross-disciplinary nature of the proceedings is a particularly strong point. It is often difficult to keep up with one's own field (e.g., astronomy, biology, geology); finding and reading papers relevant to bioastronomy in other fields is even more difficult.
Having said that, in reviewing the table of contents, the small number of reviews is somewhat surprising. This may reflect the fact that this volume is designed for a scientist working in bioastronomy or closely related field, so not many review papers were thought necessary. Nonetheless, a review on the origin and evolution of life on Earth, and possibly on the geologic history of the Earth, would have strengthened this volume (and possibly the conference) considerably. (Of course, the other possibility is that such review papers were given at the conference, but their authors did not provide the book's editors with a manuscript prior to publication.)
One caveat is in order, though, particularly to the non-specialist reading these proceedings. Some of the work presented is highly speculative and/or contingent upon a group of researchers finding funding for their project. As such, that means that not all of the papers present verified results and some skepticism is warranted.
This minor warning aside, this book should be in the library of anyone trying seriously to keep up with the field of bioastronomy.
(Postscript: Look for a Bioastronomy 2002 proceedings as well!)