Mapping Mars Science, Imagination, and the Birth of a World

How can you make sense of a world where no one has ever lived? Acclaimed science writer Oliver Morton tells the story of the heroic landscapes of Mars, now better mapped in some ways than the Earth itself. Mapping Mars introduces the reader to the nineteenth-century visionaries and spy-satellite pioneers, the petroleum geologists and science-fiction writers, the artists and Arctic explorers who have devoted themselves to the discovery of Mars. In doing so they have given a new world to the human imagination, a setting for our next great adventure. Oliver Morton is a contributing editor at Wired , as well as a contributor for The New Yorker , Science , and The American Scholar . Mapping Mars was shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award, and nominated for the British Science Fiction Association''s award for "Best Related Work." Morton lives with his wife in Greenwich, England. A Discover Magazine Best Science Book Shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award How can you make sense of a world where no one has ever lived or breathed? Acclaimed science writer Oliver Morton tells the story of the heroic landscapes of Mars, now better mapped in some ways than the Earth itself. Mapping Mars introduces the reader to the nineteenth-century visionaries and spy-satellite pioneers, the petroleum geologists and science fiction writers, the artists and Arctic explorers who have devoted themselves to the discovery of Mars. In doing so they have given a new world to the human imagination, a setting for our next great adventure. Mapping Mars takes us to the most beguiling landscape in the solar system and lays out what it may come to mean to us. "There is much to recommend this book. The author has an encyclopedic grasp of the development of major discoveries of mars science, and he summaries them in a very understandable way . . . And, I must confess, I am frankly envious of his engaging prose. This book will delight anyone interested in the exploration of the planet next door."'” American Scientist "I couldn''t stop reading this book! Fascinating, truly fascinating."'” Douglas Preston, author of Dinosaur in the Attic and The Cabinet of Curiosities " Mapping Mars is a brilliant, sustained achievement which present not just our changing representation of mars, but the developing map of humanity''s consciousness through science, technology, culture, and art. Oliver Morton is a superb writer who has made a specialist subject enthralling and universal."'” Irvine Welsh, author of Trainspotting "There is much to recommend this book. The author has an encyclopedic grasp of the development of major discoveries of mars science, and he summaries them in a very understandable way . . . And, I must confess, I am frankly envious of his engaging prose. This book will delight anyone interested in the exploration of the planet next door."'” American Scientist "Morton captures the revolutions in thought that come from envisioning another world and comparing it with our own."'” The Dallas Morning News "A beautifully intelligent meditation on the paradoxes of place."'” Evening Standard "Compelling . . . evocative . . . Morton''s prose is like Earth: humid, rich, swirling, alive."'” The Boston Globe "Oliver Morton''s approach to writing is both unique and interesting . . . The amount of research that has gone into the book is astonishing . . . One of the more surprising aspects of Mapping Mars , considering its lavish style, is the level of detail and understanding of the scientific ideas, which are presented in a realistic and accessible manner . . . There is something in this book for everyone, from the educated lay person to experienced Mars scientists, and I cannot recommend it strongly enough. It is quite simply one of the most enjoyable works of non-fiction I have ever read. "'” Karl L. Mitchell, A&G i0"If you are, like me, curious about Mars, then you will be enthralled by Oliver Morton''s wonderfully readable and authoritative Mapping Mars . This

Oliver Morton is a contributing editor at Wired, as well as a contributor for The New Yorker, Science, and The American Scholar. He lives with his wife in Greenwich, England.

"Astonishing...mind-expanding...universe-expanding." --Los Angeles Times

"Compelling...evocative...Morton’s prose is like Earth: humid, rich, swirling, alive...worthwhile for any reader interested in astronomy and space exploration." --The Boston Globe

"There is much to recommend in this book. The author has an encyclopedic grasp of the development of major discoveries of Mars science, and he summarizes them in a very understandable way.... And, I must confess, I am frankly envious of his engaging prose. This book will delight anyone interested in the exploration of the planet next door." --American Scientist

"Morton captures the revolutions in thought that come from envisioning another world and comparing it with our own." --The Dallas Morning News