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Our Moon: How Earth's Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are
An intimate look at the Moon and its relationship to life on Earth--from the primordial soup to the Artemis launches--from an acclaimed Scientific American and Atlantic contributor
Far from being a lifeless ornament in the sky, the Moon holds the key to some of science’s central questions, and in this fascinating account of our remarkable satellite, award-winning science journalist Rebecca Boyle shows us why it is the secret to our success.
The Moon stabilizes the Earth’s tilt toward the Sun, creating reliable seasons. The durability of this tilt over millennia stabilizes our climate. The Moon pulls on the ocean, driving the tides. It was these tides that mixed nutrients in the sea, enabling the evolution of complex life and, ultimately, bringing life onto land.
But the Moon also played a pivotal role in our conceptual development. While the Sun helped humans to mark daily time, hunters and gatherers used the phases of the Moon to count months and years, allowing them to situate themselves in time and plan for the future. Its role in the development of religion—Mesopotamian priests recorded the Moon’s position to make predictions about the Moon god--created the earliest known empirical, scientific observation.
Boyle deftly reframes the history of scientific discovery through a lunar lens, from Mesopotamia to the present day. Touching on ancient astronomers including Claudius Ptolemy; ancient philosophers from Anaxagoras to Plutarch; the scientific revolution of Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler; and the lunar fiction of writers like Jules Verne--which inspired Wernher von Braun, the Nazi rocket scientist who succeeded in landing humans on the Moon--Boyle charts our path with the Moon from the origins of human civilization to the Apollo landings and up to the present.
Even as astronauts around the world prepare to return to the Moon, opening up new frontiers of discovery, profit, and politics, Our Moon brings the Moon down to Earth.
Far from being a lifeless ornament in the sky, the Moon holds the key to some of science’s central questions, and in this fascinating account of our remarkable satellite, award-winning science journalist Rebecca Boyle shows us why it is the secret to our success.
The Moon stabilizes the Earth’s tilt toward the Sun, creating reliable seasons. The durability of this tilt over millennia stabilizes our climate. The Moon pulls on the ocean, driving the tides. It was these tides that mixed nutrients in the sea, enabling the evolution of complex life and, ultimately, bringing life onto land.
But the Moon also played a pivotal role in our conceptual development. While the Sun helped humans to mark daily time, hunters and gatherers used the phases of the Moon to count months and years, allowing them to situate themselves in time and plan for the future. Its role in the development of religion—Mesopotamian priests recorded the Moon’s position to make predictions about the Moon god--created the earliest known empirical, scientific observation.
Boyle deftly reframes the history of scientific discovery through a lunar lens, from Mesopotamia to the present day. Touching on ancient astronomers including Claudius Ptolemy; ancient philosophers from Anaxagoras to Plutarch; the scientific revolution of Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler; and the lunar fiction of writers like Jules Verne--which inspired Wernher von Braun, the Nazi rocket scientist who succeeded in landing humans on the Moon--Boyle charts our path with the Moon from the origins of human civilization to the Apollo landings and up to the present.
Even as astronauts around the world prepare to return to the Moon, opening up new frontiers of discovery, profit, and politics, Our Moon brings the Moon down to Earth.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 16, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
October 30, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley and Random. House for an ARC of this book.
I teach high school astronomy and am always looking for books to read with my students or to give me up to date information on class topics. This book exceeded all of my hopes for those purposes. There was a lot of new science on the formation of the moon and even more on the history of human interactions with it. I know much about Greek philosophers and their roles in developing our understanding of the Cosmos, but had never heard of Basilios Bassarion and his role in preserving the documents we have today from some of those philosophers. Galileo is a major part of my class but now I know to talk about Thomas Harriot whose telecopic moon sketches preceeded those of Galileo. I appreciated not only the thorough research, but also the joyful awe that I felt from the author as I read this book.
I teach high school astronomy and am always looking for books to read with my students or to give me up to date information on class topics. This book exceeded all of my hopes for those purposes. There was a lot of new science on the formation of the moon and even more on the history of human interactions with it. I know much about Greek philosophers and their roles in developing our understanding of the Cosmos, but had never heard of Basilios Bassarion and his role in preserving the documents we have today from some of those philosophers. Galileo is a major part of my class but now I know to talk about Thomas Harriot whose telecopic moon sketches preceeded those of Galileo. I appreciated not only the thorough research, but also the joyful awe that I felt from the author as I read this book.
March 19, 2024
In Our Moon Rebecca Boyle shares her feelings about our moon ("our silvery sister"). I say feelings, as this is more a book about mankind's, pardon me, humankind's relationship with the moon than a scientific approach. I liked the parts where she discussed the likely origin of the Moon, the lunar calendar of Warren Field and the Nebra sky disc, but in the end the sometimes esoteric approach to our Moon managed to distract me. All narrated in the sometimes moaning voice of Rebecca Lowman, which also didn't help.
2.5 stars, rounded up to three.
2.5 stars, rounded up to three.
June 12, 2023
An absolutely amazing and well-written book about our moon, what it’s like, what it does, and how we have interacted with it from Earth.
February 26, 2024
"The Moon has shaped our rulers, and their conquests, since civilization’s earliest days, but its power over us is far more ancient than even our conflicts..."
Our Moon was an informative read, but I felt that the writing dragged here at times... I was looking for something a bit different from the books I typically read, and put this one on my list when I came across it.
Author Rebecca Boyle is an award-winning science writer. She writes for The Atlantic, the New York Times, New Scientist, Popular Science, Smithsonian Air & Space, and many other publications.
Rebecca Boyle:
Boyle opens the book with a very well-written intro, that talks about her grandfather's participation in the battle of Tarawa. I had high hopes for the writing that was to follow. Unfortunately, I found that it got more esoteric and tedious as the book went on... More below.
She drops the quote at the start of this review in the intro, and it continues below:
In this quote, she lays out the aim of the book:
Unfortunately, as touched on above, I did not find the writing in the second ~half of the book to be as engaging and interesting as the writing in the first half. Now, fault me if you want for being too picky, but I am very particular about how lively and engaging the books I read are. Sadly, I found my finicky attention wandering numerous times here, particularly after the ~ halfway point, when she spends quite a lot of time talking about ancient Sumerian Moon worshippers in ~600BCE.
Also, for reasons unknown, the author somehow manages to shoehorn in various assorted bits of irrelevant leftist politicking into these pages. She has a decently sized chunk of writing about how the Space Program could have fed hungry children, with some snarkish commentary about the American efforts towards besting the Communist sphere in the Space Race.
Although she did mostly manage (fortunately) to keep a fairly tight leash on it for most of the book, she lets out this line, which I found both cringey and hilarious:
"...The Moon landing occurred during, and because of, the Cold War. So in one sense, it is impressive that the language included “for all mankind” in that (unfortunately gendered) last line."
~"Mankind." You know, as in the colloquial term used to describe all of humanity? A word that's been common parlance in the English language since the 13th century. But, ya, let's complain about putting that on a plaque. Christ, these people are exhausting. Should the plaque have said "peoplekind" instead?? Ridiculous nonsense...
You know, it's becoming more and more difficult to pick up a nonfiction book these days without reading the unnecessary and (most often) unwelcomed author's political commentary. Commentary that is, more often than not; completely juvenile and ridiculous.
It would be nice to pick up a book about the Moon, and have the author just tell the fucking story, without adding her own shit-tier, low-resolution partisan politicking...
That an author can't write a book about the Moon without adding in derogatory tidbits of writing about America, men, or other assorted SJW nonsense should serve as a barometer of her ideological possession.
I really, really dislike it when authors cram their own partisan talking points into books where they have no business being.
Ok, end rant.
********************
If you are looking for a one-stop shop for all things "Moon," then this is your book. The scope of the writing here is incredibly broad. Unfortunately, quite a lot of the wiring trended towards minutia, and I found my attention wandering numerous times here...
I think that a large chunk of the book should have been taken out for the sake of brevity and clarity.
3 stars, rounded down to 2.5 due to the inclusion of the author's mindless leftist commentary.
Our Moon was an informative read, but I felt that the writing dragged here at times... I was looking for something a bit different from the books I typically read, and put this one on my list when I came across it.
Author Rebecca Boyle is an award-winning science writer. She writes for The Atlantic, the New York Times, New Scientist, Popular Science, Smithsonian Air & Space, and many other publications.
Rebecca Boyle:
Boyle opens the book with a very well-written intro, that talks about her grandfather's participation in the battle of Tarawa. I had high hopes for the writing that was to follow. Unfortunately, I found that it got more esoteric and tedious as the book went on... More below.
She drops the quote at the start of this review in the intro, and it continues below:
"...The Moon’s influence goes back to the sulfurous origins of this planet and everything that crawls, flaps, swims, or strains skyward on its surface. The Moon guides all of us from its vaulted position above us. But it’s not apart from us, not least because it is actually a part of Earth. It was sheared from Earth when the planet was still freshly baked. And its elliptical orbit does not technically circle Earth, at least not in the way you might think. Instead, Earth and the Moon orbit each other, pivoting around a combined center of gravity that guides them both and that shapes their shared history.
Today, the Moon directs migrations, reproductions, the movements of the leaves of plants, and possibly the very blood in your veins. The Moon conducts the symphony of life on Earth, from the people who wage war on one another to the coral polyps that built the reefs of Tarawa. It has guided evolution since the moment of life’s first stirrings, which occurred either inside deep ocean vents or in warm little pools at the water’s edge, both of which derive nutrients through the Moon’s tide.
The Moon makes Earth unique, certainly in our solar system and possibly in the broader cosmos. It made us who we are, in ways that scientists are just beginning to understand, from our physiology to our psychology. It taught us how to tell time, which we used to impose order on the world. The Moon inspired the human projects of religion, philosophy, science, and discovery."
In this quote, she lays out the aim of the book:
"This book is the story of our journey with the Moon in three parts: how the Moon was made, how the Moon made us, and how we made the Moon in our image. This is not solely an astronomy book, and it is not an Apollo book, though astronomy and the Apollo missions are both inseparable from humanity’s journey with the Moon. This is a book about time, life on Earth, human civilization, our place in the universe, and how the Moon has made all of it possible. I hope this book changes your understanding of all these things. And I hope it changes the way you see the Moon, this partner world that has always been with you, and which I hope you notice anew the next time you go outside at night."
Unfortunately, as touched on above, I did not find the writing in the second ~half of the book to be as engaging and interesting as the writing in the first half. Now, fault me if you want for being too picky, but I am very particular about how lively and engaging the books I read are. Sadly, I found my finicky attention wandering numerous times here, particularly after the ~ halfway point, when she spends quite a lot of time talking about ancient Sumerian Moon worshippers in ~600BCE.
Also, for reasons unknown, the author somehow manages to shoehorn in various assorted bits of irrelevant leftist politicking into these pages. She has a decently sized chunk of writing about how the Space Program could have fed hungry children, with some snarkish commentary about the American efforts towards besting the Communist sphere in the Space Race.
Although she did mostly manage (fortunately) to keep a fairly tight leash on it for most of the book, she lets out this line, which I found both cringey and hilarious:
"...The Moon landing occurred during, and because of, the Cold War. So in one sense, it is impressive that the language included “for all mankind” in that (unfortunately gendered) last line."
~"Mankind." You know, as in the colloquial term used to describe all of humanity? A word that's been common parlance in the English language since the 13th century. But, ya, let's complain about putting that on a plaque. Christ, these people are exhausting. Should the plaque have said "peoplekind" instead?? Ridiculous nonsense...
You know, it's becoming more and more difficult to pick up a nonfiction book these days without reading the unnecessary and (most often) unwelcomed author's political commentary. Commentary that is, more often than not; completely juvenile and ridiculous.
It would be nice to pick up a book about the Moon, and have the author just tell the fucking story, without adding her own shit-tier, low-resolution partisan politicking...
That an author can't write a book about the Moon without adding in derogatory tidbits of writing about America, men, or other assorted SJW nonsense should serve as a barometer of her ideological possession.
I really, really dislike it when authors cram their own partisan talking points into books where they have no business being.
Ok, end rant.
********************
If you are looking for a one-stop shop for all things "Moon," then this is your book. The scope of the writing here is incredibly broad. Unfortunately, quite a lot of the wiring trended towards minutia, and I found my attention wandering numerous times here...
I think that a large chunk of the book should have been taken out for the sake of brevity and clarity.
3 stars, rounded down to 2.5 due to the inclusion of the author's mindless leftist commentary.
November 17, 2023
The moon presents a familiar face during most clear nights, and because it has always been there, it is generally taken for granted. However, the moon is a vital component of our world, and none of us would be here had it not joined the Earth! Our Moon explains the significance and importance of the moon to the development of our planet, our environment, our ecology and our society.
I enjoyed the scientific history and lunar exploration, though was less-interested in the extensive folklore of the moon. However, it cannot be denied that this mythology was strongly influential in our cultural history.
An interesting, well-written, in-depth study of our moon that will probably appeal most to amateur astronomers and those who enjoy science and history.
I enjoyed the scientific history and lunar exploration, though was less-interested in the extensive folklore of the moon. However, it cannot be denied that this mythology was strongly influential in our cultural history.
An interesting, well-written, in-depth study of our moon that will probably appeal most to amateur astronomers and those who enjoy science and history.
March 30, 2024
Ancient civilizations sailed the lunar seas of time, navigating humanity towards structured systems like agriculture and spirituality. As Galileo faced the astronomical fallout for challenging Earth's starring role, the moon had already distanced itself from celestial devotion, leaving people to moon over its true purpose—themes brilliantly explored in "Our Moon."
Boyle embarks on a lunar quest, visiting remote fields in Scotland, unearthing discoveries like the Nebra Sky Disc, shedding light on how early Europeans engineered spaces to sync with lunar cycles for precision timekeeping. Venturing to Mesopotamia, Boyle shines a light on the lunar sway over a king's reign, potentially sealing Babylon's fate. Greek observations, eclipsed by dogma and biblical interpretations, obscured lunar truths for centuries until the scientific sunrise of the Renaissance, eventually bringing it all to The V2 rocket and the Apollo missions.
Boyle skillfully reshapes scientific history through a lunar lens, spanning from Mesopotamian stargazers to modern lunar landings, interweaving luminaries like Copernicus and Galileo. From Jules Verne's lunar reveries to Wernher von Braun's gravity-defying reality, Boyle's narrative orbits the moon, tracing humanity's celestial comedy of errors to the present day. Truly out of this world.
Boyle embarks on a lunar quest, visiting remote fields in Scotland, unearthing discoveries like the Nebra Sky Disc, shedding light on how early Europeans engineered spaces to sync with lunar cycles for precision timekeeping. Venturing to Mesopotamia, Boyle shines a light on the lunar sway over a king's reign, potentially sealing Babylon's fate. Greek observations, eclipsed by dogma and biblical interpretations, obscured lunar truths for centuries until the scientific sunrise of the Renaissance, eventually bringing it all to The V2 rocket and the Apollo missions.
Boyle skillfully reshapes scientific history through a lunar lens, spanning from Mesopotamian stargazers to modern lunar landings, interweaving luminaries like Copernicus and Galileo. From Jules Verne's lunar reveries to Wernher von Braun's gravity-defying reality, Boyle's narrative orbits the moon, tracing humanity's celestial comedy of errors to the present day. Truly out of this world.
January 26, 2024
There has been a recent trend of writing non-fiction books that look at history from the perspective of a particular phenomenon. While it often gives an interesting insight into well-known facts, it has its caveats. In this case, the result is a bit chaotic.
The book starts with geology, describing the origin of the Moon and its influence on the Earth, then dives into archaeology and folklore, and ends with the history of space exploration. You will find a lot of interesting facts here, but overall it feels fragmented. And as some other reviewers mentioned, the style is a bit dry and sometimes not very engaging. But I think hardcore fans of astronomy may find it fascinating.
Thanks to the publisher, Random House, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
The book starts with geology, describing the origin of the Moon and its influence on the Earth, then dives into archaeology and folklore, and ends with the history of space exploration. You will find a lot of interesting facts here, but overall it feels fragmented. And as some other reviewers mentioned, the style is a bit dry and sometimes not very engaging. But I think hardcore fans of astronomy may find it fascinating.
Thanks to the publisher, Random House, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
September 4, 2023
I loved this book. Rebecca Boyle writes with a tone that is the perfect mixture of literary writing and crispness. The science is very clearly explained. But the book is about a lot more than just science. There are discussions of the relationship between the moon and culture, religion and history. She also writes with some humor and the footnotes are certainly worth reading. Overall I felt that this book was well worth reading. Apparently this is Boyle’s first book and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the digital review copy.
June 22, 2023
As someone who knows a lot about the modern space race and rocketry, it was really interesting to read how ancient cultures were able to measure time using the moon. The author is able to present complex topics such as the creation of planets in a way that is digestible and interesting. Within all the talk of ancient civilizations, I expected a chapter on religions and/or cults that were inspired by the moon, but there was a lot of ground to cover.
I do wish that some of the chapters had been broken into more small ones organized by topic vs less, longer chapters. Overall a fun read.
I do wish that some of the chapters had been broken into more small ones organized by topic vs less, longer chapters. Overall a fun read.
April 5, 2024
How do you make a fascinating subject like the literal Moon of Earth into a book this boring?? Otherwise a neutral 3 stars, I had to punish this book for ultimately being too annoying in several ways.
First, the footnotes. Two of them contain everything you really need to know about this book. Page 126: "During the American-led war in 1991, Saddam parked fighter jets near the ziggurat because he imagined the Americans would not risk destroying the priceless monument. It was still damaged by bomb shrapnel."
Oops! The priceless world heritage monument of Ur was still damaged!? How'd that happen??! Anyway....
After struggling along a bit further, on page 152/259, we finally find what we were looking for this whole book, also in footnote form. The Moon... how does it work?
"Start out when the Moon is new. Find the crescent hanging low in the sky at dusk, before it's dark outside. The Moon will follow the Sun down, sinking on the western horizon before night fully falls. The next night, look again. The Moon is thicker now, and a little higher in the sky when you first spot it. Keep watching, and within a few days, the Moon is half illuminated-a pie sliced in two, with the visible side facing the early-evening Sun. The Moon is full when the Sun is setting, and in the following days, the Moon shrinks again. By last quarter, you can see it just ahead of the Sun in the early-morning sky, once again with its luminous half facing our nearest star."
THANK YOU!!! Sorry but I didn't need to go on a storytelling journey, I just needed to know how this shit works because half of my coworkers think the Earth is flat now. I'm just trying to get a little perspective!! The scientific class does NOT understand what is coming!
The MOST important thing I learned very serendipitously from this book is that there is a solar eclipse next Monday lol. How the fuck did I just happen to be reading about that? 🔮 To anyone reading this past Monday, April 8, 2024, I apologize. It’s not happening again for 20 years.
Besides placing important information in twee footnotes, and being basic, this book also just gave up when it came time to analyze Native American or African moon cultures because... it was too hard! There was covid! And too many genocides.... sorry! She tried!
I thought this book was going to bring me some enlightenment, and it did. I became aware of the fact that scientists are writing for their lissencephalic NPR-brained peers and not at all for the common people who are reading posts.
First, the footnotes. Two of them contain everything you really need to know about this book. Page 126: "During the American-led war in 1991, Saddam parked fighter jets near the ziggurat because he imagined the Americans would not risk destroying the priceless monument. It was still damaged by bomb shrapnel."
Oops! The priceless world heritage monument of Ur was still damaged!? How'd that happen??! Anyway....
After struggling along a bit further, on page 152/259, we finally find what we were looking for this whole book, also in footnote form. The Moon... how does it work?
"Start out when the Moon is new. Find the crescent hanging low in the sky at dusk, before it's dark outside. The Moon will follow the Sun down, sinking on the western horizon before night fully falls. The next night, look again. The Moon is thicker now, and a little higher in the sky when you first spot it. Keep watching, and within a few days, the Moon is half illuminated-a pie sliced in two, with the visible side facing the early-evening Sun. The Moon is full when the Sun is setting, and in the following days, the Moon shrinks again. By last quarter, you can see it just ahead of the Sun in the early-morning sky, once again with its luminous half facing our nearest star."
THANK YOU!!! Sorry but I didn't need to go on a storytelling journey, I just needed to know how this shit works because half of my coworkers think the Earth is flat now. I'm just trying to get a little perspective!! The scientific class does NOT understand what is coming!
The MOST important thing I learned very serendipitously from this book is that there is a solar eclipse next Monday lol. How the fuck did I just happen to be reading about that? 🔮 To anyone reading this past Monday, April 8, 2024, I apologize. It’s not happening again for 20 years.
Besides placing important information in twee footnotes, and being basic, this book also just gave up when it came time to analyze Native American or African moon cultures because... it was too hard! There was covid! And too many genocides.... sorry! She tried!
I thought this book was going to bring me some enlightenment, and it did. I became aware of the fact that scientists are writing for their lissencephalic NPR-brained peers and not at all for the common people who are reading posts.
January 12, 2024
I’ve always been fascinated (and somewhat scared) by our moon and I’ve always wondered what’s up there, how the moon affects our planet, how long it’ll last, why we don’t go back anymore, why we have one, how did we get it. I just always have so many questions about it so I was absolutely ecstatic to receive a proof of this wonderful book that provided me with so much more new information that I had no idea about.
I loved that this book gave insight into our exploration on the moon, the history of it, how religions and different cultures perceived the moon throughout human history, the impact it’s had on human life throughout the course of history. This is an absolutely fascinating read and one I would recommend to anyone that’s interested in our beautiful moon.
Thank you so much to Sceptre books for sending me a proof of this one.
I loved that this book gave insight into our exploration on the moon, the history of it, how religions and different cultures perceived the moon throughout human history, the impact it’s had on human life throughout the course of history. This is an absolutely fascinating read and one I would recommend to anyone that’s interested in our beautiful moon.
Thank you so much to Sceptre books for sending me a proof of this one.
February 1, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book about the moon and its influence, impact, and lure for us earthlings. From way before humans inhabited the earth to ancient times, currently, and in the future, the moon is intrinsically linked to earth, influencing plant, animal and human lives, helping us mark time, and so much more. The author has done a great job leveraging history, mythology, facts, connections and science to present a comprehensive and fascinating in-depth look at the moon and its continued allure on humankind. The book is remarkably easy flowing, despite the nature of the topic - it’s a happy blend of providing facts and insights and features individuals who have contributed to unravelling the mysteries of the moon over hundreds of years. The writing is extremely engaging and the pacing just right to absorb and comprehend this fascinating object in the sky we call moon. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
March 9, 2024
A very readable, engaging book centered on the moon from multiple angles -- its origins, its geology, its impact on Earth's tilt and tides, and a longitudinal history of how life on earth has interacted with the moon.
December 7, 2023
This is a lovely book that examines the Moon from scientific, folkloric, poetic, and other points of view, offering readers all sorts of eclectic information about our constant companion in the galaxy. I loved Boyle's ability to write about multiple approaches to studying how the Moon has affected human life, and how we measure that influence. Readers will be charmed, whatever their bent.
September 4, 2023
I learned a lot when I read this book. For instance, there is a hypothesis that our Earth has a larger mantle and core due to colliding with a planet named Theia. That collision resulted in the formation of our moon.
The moon by its existence stabilizes the Earth's orbit. Its gravitational pull is responsible for the length of our days, the seasons, and the tides, and affects animal migration and reproduction. The moon also likely contributed to life on this planet, since the moon's gravity pulled nutrients from the ocean floors to the surface. I wondered what our earth would be like if we had a smaller or larger moon or one not in the same orbit.
The author includes stories about how the moon influenced important events. One story was about how disastrous a military assault was during WWII. The tides did not rise as expected, and the Allied troops were not able to get their boats over a coral reef. They were trying to capture a small island with an important airstrip that would have put them in flying distance of Japan. Instead of sailing in, they had to fight their way in, and one-fifth of their troops died in the attempt.
I had always assumed that the moon would be barren rock, but it is covered with dust - sharp, abrasive dust that smells like gunpowder. We know this because our astronauts brought some back. They also reported that the dust got into everything and was extremely uncomfortable.
I recommend this book for anyone interested in how our moon came to be what it is, and how it impacts our planet. I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher Random House via NetGalley. It was a pleasure to read and review it.
The moon by its existence stabilizes the Earth's orbit. Its gravitational pull is responsible for the length of our days, the seasons, and the tides, and affects animal migration and reproduction. The moon also likely contributed to life on this planet, since the moon's gravity pulled nutrients from the ocean floors to the surface. I wondered what our earth would be like if we had a smaller or larger moon or one not in the same orbit.
The author includes stories about how the moon influenced important events. One story was about how disastrous a military assault was during WWII. The tides did not rise as expected, and the Allied troops were not able to get their boats over a coral reef. They were trying to capture a small island with an important airstrip that would have put them in flying distance of Japan. Instead of sailing in, they had to fight their way in, and one-fifth of their troops died in the attempt.
I had always assumed that the moon would be barren rock, but it is covered with dust - sharp, abrasive dust that smells like gunpowder. We know this because our astronauts brought some back. They also reported that the dust got into everything and was extremely uncomfortable.
I recommend this book for anyone interested in how our moon came to be what it is, and how it impacts our planet. I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher Random House via NetGalley. It was a pleasure to read and review it.
June 22, 2023
An intimate and illuminating look at the moon and its relationship to Earth. I appreciated how this book filtered information not only through an astronomical lens, giving readers insight into how the moon stabilizes the tilt of the earth as well as influences the ocean's tides, but also how it conceptualized the ways in which humankind has related to it or understood it over time. How, because of its presence, we have shaped religions or beliefs around it, been inspired to uncover the science behind why it exists, and have been pushed to ask (perhaps even answer) philosophical questions about life itself because of it.
Definitely the sort of book that gives you fresh perspective. It'll have you looking at the moon differently once you've finished, I can promise you that.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for my review.
3.5 stars
BOOK BLOG
Definitely the sort of book that gives you fresh perspective. It'll have you looking at the moon differently once you've finished, I can promise you that.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for my review.
3.5 stars
BOOK BLOG
August 4, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Our Moon was a very interesting and informative book. It was described as an “intimate look at the Moon and its relationship to life on Earth”, and it was just that. The book covered the obvious, the Moon and how it affects the tides, but also peoples relationship with the Moon. This is definitely one worth reading.
April 1, 2024
It’s a book written for the layperson. Don’t expect anything technical or in depth. It explains how the Moon was formed, its critical role in giving Earth conditions conducive to life, its calendric ability to guide human civilisation, its relationship with the scientific revolution, religions and politics. The book is hard to characterise. Every reader will find something new to learn about but at the same time some stuffs already covered better by other books they have read. The author’s enthusiasm is palpable but I don’t seem to be able to develop that degree of enthusiasm from reading her prose. Overall it’s a bit uneven. The chapter on mesolithic calendar monuments can be mildly confusing. The chapter on Apollo 11 is absolutely riveting. Taken as a whole, the book can be seen as a poetic way to use the Moon to illustrate the participatory universe concept. Alternatively it can be seen as a lot of waffle padding a few albeit quite fascinating substances.
February 4, 2024
Incredibly interesting book about the moon (in case the title didn’t give that away). I have never given much thought to the moon besides it’s full or it’s not. Interesting history of the moon and its impact on Earth and life on earth.
March 5, 2024
Our Moon is going to be a classic on time, humanity, and existence. One of the best books I’ve read.
March 18, 2024
This was really a interesting history of humans’ relationship with the moon. It also gave me a new fear of billionaires destroying the moon with mining.
January 6, 2024
A fun cultural history of my friend and yours, the Moon.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
January 28, 2024
This book is enchanting! Our moon is 100% my cup of tea and I would imagine anyone else who has gazed up into the sky at night to admire its beauty would agree. Rebecca Boyle's exploration of our history with the moon is captivating. There is a lot of information here. Boyle covers space exploration with the Apollo missions, archaeology and ancient cultures, mythology and folklore, and how the moon impacts our current day-to-day functioning.
I found this book especially intriguing as we have not returned to the moon in 50 some odd years.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for this beautiful ARC!
I found this book especially intriguing as we have not returned to the moon in 50 some odd years.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for this beautiful ARC!
February 8, 2024
Let me start with an immediate disclaimer. Rebecca Boyle and I are members of an extremely small club: science journalists who have written a popular book about the Mo0n. I wrote The Big Splat, or How Our Moon Came to Be (2003). Now she has written "Our Moon," twenty years later. I am not even aware of any other such books in the intervening two decades. Moon books, yes. Moon books by professional writers (not scientists or astronauts), not so much. All I can say is, it's about time! I am glad to pass the torch to Boyle's capable hands, and I think that in this book she has carried it well.
Naturally, I was curious how Boyle would tell the Moon's story. How would her book overlap with mine? How would it differ? What changes have taken place in lunar science since 2003? But perhaps such comparisons are unfair; certainly they are not the whole point. Her book needs to be judged on its own merits.
To be honest, I thought "Our Moon" (particularly the first three chapters) got off to a bumpy start. These chapters had the most overlap with my book, because they concerned the current status of theory on the origin of the moon -- the main focus of my book. As I found 20 years ago, the dominant and really only accepted theory among lunar scientists is the giant impact theory, according to which the Moon formed out of the remnants of a colossal, glancing collision between Earth and another planet, called Theia, very early in our solar system's history. This "default theory," as I called it, has not changed. But there has been some evolution in the simulation of the details of this apocalyptic encounter. The details must satisfy the laws of physics, but the physical conditions after the impact were so extreme and so different from anything we have directly witnessed. This makes it hard to agree on the precise details, and accordingly there is a good deal of variety in scientists' accounts of what happened. We are now back to where we were before the Apollo missions: we have an abundance of theory but a paucity of real data.
So for the time being, the science -- beyond the fact that the giant impact occurred -- is confusing and not settled. This is not Boyle's fault. She has to report on the state of the science as she sees it. But I think that her first three chapters will leave the reader puzzled over what to believe and why. With apologies, I believe my book didd a much better job of preparing the reader, by explaining in detail the three previous theories (fission, capture, coaccretion), explaining what was wrong with them, and then explaining how the giant impact theory was actually a synthesis of the best parts of all three previous theories. Crucially, the giant impact theory better accounts for all the new data that began to arrive in 1969: principally the moon rocks, but also the results of physics-based computer simulations. (These showed that large collisions in the early solar system were not bizarre flukes, but the inevitable final stage of the planetary accretion process.) This was the story that fascinated me: how science advances and learns from its mistakes. Mistakes are often swept under the rug in science, but here was a fascinating example of how we could not have gotten to the currently accepted theory if we had not tried and rejected the others.
But that was my book, not Boyle's! It is her prerogative to tell the story that speaks to her. She was fascinated by the many ways in which the moon has affected life on Earth. She starts with its tangible, physical effects, such as the tides, which created ecosystems in which life could get started and evolve. She moves on to the less tangible effects of the Moon on human culture. The Moon gave rise to our concept of time, illuminated our nights before we had light bulbs, and helped Galileo and Kepler free our imaginations from an Earth-centered realm. Boyle's book is particularly informative about the evidence of the Moon's effect on prehistoric societies. She has visited the relevant archaeological sites. I enjoyed her eyewitness descriptions.
Even so, there is always more that could have been included. When I wrote the "Big Splat," I originally included a chapter on mythology, but my editor strongly suggested that I should take it out. He felt that I was strongest on the science, and I should leave the mythology to others. Because this was an omission from my book, I'm glad that Boyle wrote about some of the things that I wanted to. I was grateful that she wrote about Enheduanna, the Sumerian priestess of the Moon god Nanna, who was the first non-anonymous writer in history. More than 4000 years of writers, including Boyle and me, have followed in Enheduanna's footsteps.
But Boyle omitted two other fave stories of mine. One is the legend of Isis and Osiris, which I think is a fascinating attempt by pre-modern-science culture to rationalize what was going on in the heavens every month when the moon waxes and wanes. I also wish she had written about the story of Coyolxauhqui, the Mexican Moon goddess who was violently usurped and dismembered by the (male) Sun god, Huitzilopochtli. This event is part of the founding myth of Aztec society. For centuries, the blood of human sacrifices cascaded down from the temple of the Sun god to pool on the stone of the vanquished Moon goddess... a stone that was discovered under a Mexico City street in the 1960s. What a story... it gives me chills. It made me wonder whether there is an inevitable sequence in human religions all over the world (both Eastern and Western hemispheres) that leads from Moon goddesses to Sun gods. But such a topic was way beyond my competence!
Whew. Now back to Boyle's book. In the last two chapters we come back around to the present era, the Apollo moon missions, and what might come next. Boyle again does an excellent job, and her book is in some ways complementary to mine. She has her favorite Moon rock and I have mine. She likes Apollo 11 and 17, I like Apollo 15. She actually goes to the Lunar Sample Lab and sees her favorite Moon rock, which is way cool. Darn, I wish I'd thought of that!
Finally, she writes about the future of lunar exploration, and the possibility of permanent bases and lunar mining. This last chapter feels incomplete. One reason is that there were two places she wanted to visit -- both Native American sites -- but was not able to, because of travel restrictions during the pandemic. But also, she seems to be of two minds about the Moon's future, and does not leave us a very clear sense of what she, the author, would like to see. Does she side with Paul Spudis, with his vision of a humming and thriving economy in lunar space and beyond? Does she agree with the Dine Indians, who see the Moon as sacred territory that should not be defiled by humans and especially not by resource extraction? And who gets to decide, anyway? Should one tribe get to decide for the remaining 8 billion people of humanity? If so, which tribe should decide? The tribe of Dine? The tribe of space scientists? The tribe of Elon Musk? These are tough questions, and Boyle does not really take a stand. She ends instead on a lyrical note, musing about the way in which the Moon has accompanied every culture in history and unifies us all across the centuries. I totally agree with this ending, and it's probably how I would end the book too, but some readers may find it just a little bit too safe.
I know I'm a tough critic. Rebecca Boyle has done great research, she has written a book that fits her vision, and it will be an outstanding addition to the collection of any Moon lover.
Naturally, I was curious how Boyle would tell the Moon's story. How would her book overlap with mine? How would it differ? What changes have taken place in lunar science since 2003? But perhaps such comparisons are unfair; certainly they are not the whole point. Her book needs to be judged on its own merits.
To be honest, I thought "Our Moon" (particularly the first three chapters) got off to a bumpy start. These chapters had the most overlap with my book, because they concerned the current status of theory on the origin of the moon -- the main focus of my book. As I found 20 years ago, the dominant and really only accepted theory among lunar scientists is the giant impact theory, according to which the Moon formed out of the remnants of a colossal, glancing collision between Earth and another planet, called Theia, very early in our solar system's history. This "default theory," as I called it, has not changed. But there has been some evolution in the simulation of the details of this apocalyptic encounter. The details must satisfy the laws of physics, but the physical conditions after the impact were so extreme and so different from anything we have directly witnessed. This makes it hard to agree on the precise details, and accordingly there is a good deal of variety in scientists' accounts of what happened. We are now back to where we were before the Apollo missions: we have an abundance of theory but a paucity of real data.
So for the time being, the science -- beyond the fact that the giant impact occurred -- is confusing and not settled. This is not Boyle's fault. She has to report on the state of the science as she sees it. But I think that her first three chapters will leave the reader puzzled over what to believe and why. With apologies, I believe my book didd a much better job of preparing the reader, by explaining in detail the three previous theories (fission, capture, coaccretion), explaining what was wrong with them, and then explaining how the giant impact theory was actually a synthesis of the best parts of all three previous theories. Crucially, the giant impact theory better accounts for all the new data that began to arrive in 1969: principally the moon rocks, but also the results of physics-based computer simulations. (These showed that large collisions in the early solar system were not bizarre flukes, but the inevitable final stage of the planetary accretion process.) This was the story that fascinated me: how science advances and learns from its mistakes. Mistakes are often swept under the rug in science, but here was a fascinating example of how we could not have gotten to the currently accepted theory if we had not tried and rejected the others.
But that was my book, not Boyle's! It is her prerogative to tell the story that speaks to her. She was fascinated by the many ways in which the moon has affected life on Earth. She starts with its tangible, physical effects, such as the tides, which created ecosystems in which life could get started and evolve. She moves on to the less tangible effects of the Moon on human culture. The Moon gave rise to our concept of time, illuminated our nights before we had light bulbs, and helped Galileo and Kepler free our imaginations from an Earth-centered realm. Boyle's book is particularly informative about the evidence of the Moon's effect on prehistoric societies. She has visited the relevant archaeological sites. I enjoyed her eyewitness descriptions.
Even so, there is always more that could have been included. When I wrote the "Big Splat," I originally included a chapter on mythology, but my editor strongly suggested that I should take it out. He felt that I was strongest on the science, and I should leave the mythology to others. Because this was an omission from my book, I'm glad that Boyle wrote about some of the things that I wanted to. I was grateful that she wrote about Enheduanna, the Sumerian priestess of the Moon god Nanna, who was the first non-anonymous writer in history. More than 4000 years of writers, including Boyle and me, have followed in Enheduanna's footsteps.
But Boyle omitted two other fave stories of mine. One is the legend of Isis and Osiris, which I think is a fascinating attempt by pre-modern-science culture to rationalize what was going on in the heavens every month when the moon waxes and wanes. I also wish she had written about the story of Coyolxauhqui, the Mexican Moon goddess who was violently usurped and dismembered by the (male) Sun god, Huitzilopochtli. This event is part of the founding myth of Aztec society. For centuries, the blood of human sacrifices cascaded down from the temple of the Sun god to pool on the stone of the vanquished Moon goddess... a stone that was discovered under a Mexico City street in the 1960s. What a story... it gives me chills. It made me wonder whether there is an inevitable sequence in human religions all over the world (both Eastern and Western hemispheres) that leads from Moon goddesses to Sun gods. But such a topic was way beyond my competence!
Whew. Now back to Boyle's book. In the last two chapters we come back around to the present era, the Apollo moon missions, and what might come next. Boyle again does an excellent job, and her book is in some ways complementary to mine. She has her favorite Moon rock and I have mine. She likes Apollo 11 and 17, I like Apollo 15. She actually goes to the Lunar Sample Lab and sees her favorite Moon rock, which is way cool. Darn, I wish I'd thought of that!
Finally, she writes about the future of lunar exploration, and the possibility of permanent bases and lunar mining. This last chapter feels incomplete. One reason is that there were two places she wanted to visit -- both Native American sites -- but was not able to, because of travel restrictions during the pandemic. But also, she seems to be of two minds about the Moon's future, and does not leave us a very clear sense of what she, the author, would like to see. Does she side with Paul Spudis, with his vision of a humming and thriving economy in lunar space and beyond? Does she agree with the Dine Indians, who see the Moon as sacred territory that should not be defiled by humans and especially not by resource extraction? And who gets to decide, anyway? Should one tribe get to decide for the remaining 8 billion people of humanity? If so, which tribe should decide? The tribe of Dine? The tribe of space scientists? The tribe of Elon Musk? These are tough questions, and Boyle does not really take a stand. She ends instead on a lyrical note, musing about the way in which the Moon has accompanied every culture in history and unifies us all across the centuries. I totally agree with this ending, and it's probably how I would end the book too, but some readers may find it just a little bit too safe.
I know I'm a tough critic. Rebecca Boyle has done great research, she has written a book that fits her vision, and it will be an outstanding addition to the collection of any Moon lover.
March 2, 2024
Would have been better if not for all the out-of-place potshots against Catholicism and its perceived anti-scientism while also containing statements like "I am a person who believes in the science of climate change and in the science of vaccination. I am also someone who ... takes Native American cosmology and treats it equally to our scientific cosmology when it comes to the Moon."
November 6, 2023
My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Random House Publishing Group- Random House for an advance copy of on this book on the history and continuing draw of the Moon on people, the Earth we live on and our imaginations.
The Sun and the Moon have always been with us. The Sun lights our days, makes crops grow, dries our clothes, even powers our houses and cars. The Moon lights our nights, controls our tides, controls our moods, and is the basis of many myths dealing with many creatures of the night. The Sun we have at least an idea of what it is, and why it is so important. The Moon is in many ways a mystery. Is it a part of Earth, part of something else, a bit of both? Always facing us, with a dark side that remains mysterious to both science, musicians and comic book writers. Though we are starting to make discover more and more, though the more we find, sometimes the more confused it becomes. Science writer Rebecca Boyle in Our Moon: How Earth's Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are has written both a history, a biography and a wonderful paean to our little Luna, who stares down at us every night, and is important for so many things.
The book begins with a tale of war and tides. During World War II, the United States Marines had a plan to invade the island of Tarawa, controlled by the Japanese, during the high tides, which would help lift the invasion boats over the coral. If the tides did not rise, Marines would have to troop through deep water, under fire the entire way. The water did not rise, and Marine casualties were high. Lessons from this helped during the invasion of Normandy for the D-Day invasion. From here we learn about the Moon and where it might have come from, and the many controversies and questions that still come up. The idea of being sheared off from the Earth, or even two objects destroying each other totally, and making something new. The importance of the moon to human evolution is discussed, the idea of using the Moon to tell time, for harvests and other rituals. Artists have used the Moon, of the idea of the Moon as basis for many works, from poems, to songs, to movies. Also along with tides and water, the influence of the Moon on human behavior is explored.
I thought I knew about the Moon, but I was wrong. In fact many of the things I have learned in school, turn out to be wrong, which comes as no surprise. What is surprising is the many origin stories about the Moon, and how the jury is still out on what could be the true story of the Moon. Boyle is a very good writer, and can really convey a lot of information without weighing the narrative down, or slowing the pace. Boyle writes about geology, oceanology, art, and philosophy quite well, and every page has lots of information and moments that makes a reader go, oh I didn't know that. I particularly enjoyed many of the astronauts stories, about the smell of the moon, and the dust that never seemed to go away. And for plans to land on the dark side of the moon, which were nixed. A very enjoyable fun book.
"There is no dark side of the moon really. Matter of fact it's all dark." I couldn't do a review on a book about the Moon without quoting the Pink Floyd. A really vey good book that will be of interest to burgeoning astronomers and people interested in the night sky. Also recommended for science fiction writers, as there are a lot of ideas in here that could really make some fun stories. And details to make one's story seem real.
The Sun and the Moon have always been with us. The Sun lights our days, makes crops grow, dries our clothes, even powers our houses and cars. The Moon lights our nights, controls our tides, controls our moods, and is the basis of many myths dealing with many creatures of the night. The Sun we have at least an idea of what it is, and why it is so important. The Moon is in many ways a mystery. Is it a part of Earth, part of something else, a bit of both? Always facing us, with a dark side that remains mysterious to both science, musicians and comic book writers. Though we are starting to make discover more and more, though the more we find, sometimes the more confused it becomes. Science writer Rebecca Boyle in Our Moon: How Earth's Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are has written both a history, a biography and a wonderful paean to our little Luna, who stares down at us every night, and is important for so many things.
The book begins with a tale of war and tides. During World War II, the United States Marines had a plan to invade the island of Tarawa, controlled by the Japanese, during the high tides, which would help lift the invasion boats over the coral. If the tides did not rise, Marines would have to troop through deep water, under fire the entire way. The water did not rise, and Marine casualties were high. Lessons from this helped during the invasion of Normandy for the D-Day invasion. From here we learn about the Moon and where it might have come from, and the many controversies and questions that still come up. The idea of being sheared off from the Earth, or even two objects destroying each other totally, and making something new. The importance of the moon to human evolution is discussed, the idea of using the Moon to tell time, for harvests and other rituals. Artists have used the Moon, of the idea of the Moon as basis for many works, from poems, to songs, to movies. Also along with tides and water, the influence of the Moon on human behavior is explored.
I thought I knew about the Moon, but I was wrong. In fact many of the things I have learned in school, turn out to be wrong, which comes as no surprise. What is surprising is the many origin stories about the Moon, and how the jury is still out on what could be the true story of the Moon. Boyle is a very good writer, and can really convey a lot of information without weighing the narrative down, or slowing the pace. Boyle writes about geology, oceanology, art, and philosophy quite well, and every page has lots of information and moments that makes a reader go, oh I didn't know that. I particularly enjoyed many of the astronauts stories, about the smell of the moon, and the dust that never seemed to go away. And for plans to land on the dark side of the moon, which were nixed. A very enjoyable fun book.
"There is no dark side of the moon really. Matter of fact it's all dark." I couldn't do a review on a book about the Moon without quoting the Pink Floyd. A really vey good book that will be of interest to burgeoning astronomers and people interested in the night sky. Also recommended for science fiction writers, as there are a lot of ideas in here that could really make some fun stories. And details to make one's story seem real.
February 13, 2024
In Our Moon, Rebecca Boyle takes us on a journey through the history of humanity's relationship with the moon and how it may have influenced the development of our planet, life, and our society/culture.
The first quarter of the book is dedicated to the origins of the moon. As such, it is also the story of the origins of the Earth, as they go hand-in-hand. I felt like this part got a little too bogged down in the technical aspects of the astronomy and could have been trimmed down a bit to be more reader friendly. Personally, I don't mind the fact that it gets technical (I quite enjoy these things usually), but I did feel it made this section drag. Boyle competently explains the theories, but she does it in a rote, textbook lecture sort of way. Most of it is fine, but it wavers between engaging and monotonous at times.
This section is immediately followed by a brief examination of how the moon affected the development of Earth's geography and the beginnings of life.
However, we quickly move on to what I consider to be the meat of the book--how the moon influenced humanity. I found this section to be the most fascinating as I think this is the most novel part of this book. Others have written endlessly about the early development of the solar system, how our Earth and moon formed, how the tides may have influenced the development of life, and the modern space race. It seems to me that a compendium of how the moon has shaped who we are as a species across millions of years and countless cultures and civilizations. Boyle takes us from the earliest curious sky-gazers and time keepers to the most influential ancient philosophers, through the middle ages and to the modern developments of science fiction and rigorous scientific study of the moon. This is good stuff.
We then arrive in the modern age where we have been sending probes and even humans to the moon. Here Boyle reiterates the time old story of humanity's first steps into space and onto the lunar surface. However, she ends with the impending question of what we as a species plan on doing with the moon in the near future. With private industries poised to claim portions of space and the moon for profit, we must be careful with how we proceed. The moon (and space) does not belong to any particular individual or group of individuals, it belongs to everyone and no one. There are a lot of questions surrounding what this means and how we can uphold this idea. As we prepare to send humans to the moon once more, and as more private businesses and space-faring nations decide to reach for the stars, these questions require answers. Perhaps we all need to take this moment to consider what the moon means to us as a species and what our actions mean for the future.
The first quarter of the book is dedicated to the origins of the moon. As such, it is also the story of the origins of the Earth, as they go hand-in-hand. I felt like this part got a little too bogged down in the technical aspects of the astronomy and could have been trimmed down a bit to be more reader friendly. Personally, I don't mind the fact that it gets technical (I quite enjoy these things usually), but I did feel it made this section drag. Boyle competently explains the theories, but she does it in a rote, textbook lecture sort of way. Most of it is fine, but it wavers between engaging and monotonous at times.
This section is immediately followed by a brief examination of how the moon affected the development of Earth's geography and the beginnings of life.
However, we quickly move on to what I consider to be the meat of the book--how the moon influenced humanity. I found this section to be the most fascinating as I think this is the most novel part of this book. Others have written endlessly about the early development of the solar system, how our Earth and moon formed, how the tides may have influenced the development of life, and the modern space race. It seems to me that a compendium of how the moon has shaped who we are as a species across millions of years and countless cultures and civilizations. Boyle takes us from the earliest curious sky-gazers and time keepers to the most influential ancient philosophers, through the middle ages and to the modern developments of science fiction and rigorous scientific study of the moon. This is good stuff.
We then arrive in the modern age where we have been sending probes and even humans to the moon. Here Boyle reiterates the time old story of humanity's first steps into space and onto the lunar surface. However, she ends with the impending question of what we as a species plan on doing with the moon in the near future. With private industries poised to claim portions of space and the moon for profit, we must be careful with how we proceed. The moon (and space) does not belong to any particular individual or group of individuals, it belongs to everyone and no one. There are a lot of questions surrounding what this means and how we can uphold this idea. As we prepare to send humans to the moon once more, and as more private businesses and space-faring nations decide to reach for the stars, these questions require answers. Perhaps we all need to take this moment to consider what the moon means to us as a species and what our actions mean for the future.
January 28, 2024
The science and myths of moon
Since the beginning of the solar system, the Moon has helped create life on earth, and evolved to advanced species. The Earth-Sun-Moon-Jupiter functions as a unit in this corner of the cosmos where the life was not only created but evolved that required a suitable cosmic environment for sustained evolution. This partly explains why there is no evidence of sustained evolution elsewhere in the solar system despite the fact that some of moons of Jupiter and Saturn show promising geological features for the birth of life. The Moon stabilizes Earth's tilt toward the Sun, making the Moon the captain of our seasons, and the consistency of this tilt stabilizes life and provides a habitat for a sustainable biological evolution. The Moon's unusually large size, one quarter of the size of earth, and its distance from Earth are ideal for sustained life with Jupiter watching out for mother earth from harmful collisions with cosmic bodies like comets and asteroids. And the sun providing the energy needed for life including the bountiful of water in liquid form.
As the first civilizations arose in Indus Valley in India, and other parts of the Middle East, Moon took on importance as more than a marker of time. It became a recorder of events; a predictor of fates; an instrument of might. The Moon laid the foundations of philosophy and religion and set the course of history. Recent studies have demonstrated that certain aspects of mental health and the general well-being of a person are affected by the moon. The Vedic astrology and the deities of Navagraha have also been implicated to have impacts on the life of a human being.
This book is a disorganized jumble of news, science and human culture associated with the moon. The writing is not focused, and readers may find the book boring.
Since the beginning of the solar system, the Moon has helped create life on earth, and evolved to advanced species. The Earth-Sun-Moon-Jupiter functions as a unit in this corner of the cosmos where the life was not only created but evolved that required a suitable cosmic environment for sustained evolution. This partly explains why there is no evidence of sustained evolution elsewhere in the solar system despite the fact that some of moons of Jupiter and Saturn show promising geological features for the birth of life. The Moon stabilizes Earth's tilt toward the Sun, making the Moon the captain of our seasons, and the consistency of this tilt stabilizes life and provides a habitat for a sustainable biological evolution. The Moon's unusually large size, one quarter of the size of earth, and its distance from Earth are ideal for sustained life with Jupiter watching out for mother earth from harmful collisions with cosmic bodies like comets and asteroids. And the sun providing the energy needed for life including the bountiful of water in liquid form.
As the first civilizations arose in Indus Valley in India, and other parts of the Middle East, Moon took on importance as more than a marker of time. It became a recorder of events; a predictor of fates; an instrument of might. The Moon laid the foundations of philosophy and religion and set the course of history. Recent studies have demonstrated that certain aspects of mental health and the general well-being of a person are affected by the moon. The Vedic astrology and the deities of Navagraha have also been implicated to have impacts on the life of a human being.
This book is a disorganized jumble of news, science and human culture associated with the moon. The writing is not focused, and readers may find the book boring.
February 21, 2024
“Our Moon” is about the incredible and unrecognised influence that Earth’s “Celestial Companion” has on our planet, climate, seasons, tides, as well as how it has shaped human, animal, and plant life here, on this “Pale Blue Dot” (Carl Sagan).
The book has many lovely surprises and provides a new perspective on the importance of the Moon. It starts by explaining how the Earth and Moon were formed together when Theia slammed into Earth 1.0 over 4 billion years ago.
It then demonstrates how the Moon holds Earth in its orbit, reducing the wobble on its axis, and helps give us predictable seasons.
It also helps determine the length of day and night determining wake and sleep patterns for all animals and plants. We all have circadian and circalunar cycles with us.
In turn, these seasons and cycles guide mass migrations, mating, and the times to hunt, gather, plant and harvest crops.
The Moon and its cycles created the first time-monitoring machine used around the world, before the invention of clocks. Studying the Moon also dramatically helps us understand how the Universe was formed and where to could potentially be alternate sources of life i.e., other planets with moons?
I really loved this book as it was educational, fun, and well written. It also had a good reference of photos that helped visualise the topics being discussed.
In terms of negatives, I find none; but in terms of omissions, I felt it could have included a section in the book on how different cultures honour the Moon in different ways. For example, why do Arabic countries so often make references to the crescent moon while others have full moon parties?
This is an enlightening and fun book to read, written by an excellent science writer. I highly recommend it.
The book has many lovely surprises and provides a new perspective on the importance of the Moon. It starts by explaining how the Earth and Moon were formed together when Theia slammed into Earth 1.0 over 4 billion years ago.
It then demonstrates how the Moon holds Earth in its orbit, reducing the wobble on its axis, and helps give us predictable seasons.
It also helps determine the length of day and night determining wake and sleep patterns for all animals and plants. We all have circadian and circalunar cycles with us.
In turn, these seasons and cycles guide mass migrations, mating, and the times to hunt, gather, plant and harvest crops.
The Moon and its cycles created the first time-monitoring machine used around the world, before the invention of clocks. Studying the Moon also dramatically helps us understand how the Universe was formed and where to could potentially be alternate sources of life i.e., other planets with moons?
I really loved this book as it was educational, fun, and well written. It also had a good reference of photos that helped visualise the topics being discussed.
In terms of negatives, I find none; but in terms of omissions, I felt it could have included a section in the book on how different cultures honour the Moon in different ways. For example, why do Arabic countries so often make references to the crescent moon while others have full moon parties?
This is an enlightening and fun book to read, written by an excellent science writer. I highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews