UVic Professor Explores Alien Life in New Book and Public Talk

Jon Willis, a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Victoria, has launched his second book, The Pale Blue Data Point: An Earth-Based Perspective on the Search for Alien Life, which was released on October 30, 2023. This new work follows his 2016 title, All These Worlds Are Yours: The Scientific Search for Alien Life. Willis draws on his extensive research and global adventures, emphasizing a local perspective while engaging readers in the quest for extraterrestrial life.

Local Inspiration Fuels Global Exploration

Willis’ journey into the cosmos often begins in his own backyard. Reflecting on life in Victoria, he noted, “Living in Victoria, even above the surface, you can’t escape that you live on a living planet that is vibrant and alive.” He further explained that the local waters off Vancouver Island are just as rich and diverse as any global location. “Once you go into the oceans just one, two, three metres down, it’s just as beautiful and abundant, even more so,” he said.

His involvement with the Ocean Exploration Trust began in 2017, where he anticipated global expeditions. However, his first significant journey took him to study deep ocean vents just 200 kilometres off the coast. “I must admit I was taken aback at that point,” Willis remarked. “I thought there was gonna be air tickets, but no, so I took a taxi up to Sidney, joined the ship at the Institute of Ocean Sciences in Pat Bay.”

Willis credits his students from the UVic course Search for Life in the Universe (ASTR 201) as a key influence for the book. “They’re almost all there because they want to be, they’re out of interest,” he said. Their enthusiasm and curiosity have inspired him throughout his research and writing process.

Exploration and Discovery: A Journey into the Unknown

This book aims to inspire the next generation of astrobiologists, stressing that the search for life often begins at a microscopic level. “The first life we encounter, especially if it’s in the solar system, may well be microscopic. It’s gonna be things equivalent on Earth to our single-celled microbes,” he explained.

The narrative combines elements of science and adventure, as Willis takes readers on deep-sea dives, desert treks, and stargazing at mountaintop observatories. He describes the work as “Indiana Jones meets Carl Sagan meets David Attenborough,” capturing the thrill of exploration alongside the meticulous nature of scientific discovery.

Willis is set to present a public talk about his book on November 26, 2023, at UVic’s Bob Wright Centre, starting at 19:00. He hopes attendees will leave with a renewed sense of wonder about life on Earth and beyond. “It’s impossible not to when you’re in the water,” he said, highlighting the vibrant marine life that can evoke feelings of being in an alien world.

Ultimately, The Pale Blue Data Point invites readers to explore our “pale blue data point,” the living planet we call home, while contemplating what life beyond Earth might resemble. As Willis emphasizes, there is much to discover not only in the cosmos but also within our own oceans and ecosystems.