Are the Planets Inhabited?

"Are the Planets Inhabited?" by E. Walter Maunder is a scientific exploration from the early 1900s that looks at whether life could exist beyond Earth. It investigates the conditions that other planets would need in order to support life. The author takes us through a detailed look at planets, mixing observations with scientific explanations to see which ones might be able to have life like ours. The book starts by setting up what it means for a planet to be habitable and how people used to think about the universe. Maunder explains how ideas about planets changed over time. He says that for a planet to be "inhabited," it needs to have smart, thinking beings and stresses that we need to focus on physical conditions and things like water when we study other planets. The first part of the book thinks about what life is, what it needs to survive, and asks important questions that pave the way for discussions about planets like Mars and Venus.