in which we live. Some of the ideas discussed in <strong>The</strong> CosmicConnection are nothing more (and in some cases even less)than half-baked, but since they have been appropriately associatedat some stage with a snappy, sound-bite rich, good colourpicture, doom-and-gloom-oriented press release, they havereceived over-hyped media attention. Perhaps the best thingthat can (or indeed should) be said here is don’t believe all thatyou read, and if some of the “end-of-days” scenarios that arepresented in <strong>The</strong> Cosmic Connection seem just too ridiculousto be true, then it is entirely because they are too ridiculous tobe true. This being said, there is nothing wrong with speculation,provided it is made clear that it is speculation (idle orotherwise), and one should always allow for the improbable tooccur. Recalling the lines penned by the British pop poet JohnCooper-Clark, with an additional nod towards T.S. Elliot,“for us this is how the world will end, not with a bang but awhimper.”Of all the chapters within <strong>The</strong> Cosmic Connection, I foundchapter 9 the least satisfying – which is a shame given that itbegins by outlining the reasons why Kanipe set out to writethe book in the first place. I found the philosophy and discussionwithin this particular chapter to be muddled and far fromconvincing – indeed, in some places I felt that the practice ofscience, the role of religion, and the workings of Darwinianevolution were greatly over-simplified, and in some instancesentirely misrepresented. Again, this is a shame, since Kanipe istrying to construct a modern-day version of the medieval idealin which the microcosm is inherent within the macrocosm.This idea has an ancient heritage, has much going for it, and isonly tempered in the modern era by a better knowledge of thecontent and number of the cosmos. Kanipe is right in sayingthat Darwinian evolution (to which one is inclined to ask, isthere any other kind of evolution?) works within the quietmoments between catastrophes. But the Universe and manyhistoric cosmic catastrophes have not steered nor directedevolution – natural selection operating on random mutations(with an allowance for random environmental change) hasbrought the world to where it is today – there is no directionor steering towards any specific goal when it comes to evolution.Evolution is unapologetically capricious, totally uncaring,and 100 percent self-serving: it worms through the cracks andworks around any barriers (cosmically driven or otherwise)that it encounters – provided, of course, there is some adaptationadvantage to be had.Be that as it may, perhaps, my biggest gripe with chapter 9 isthe way in which Kanipe introduces the Anthropic Principle,only to later dismiss it as some sort of religious, non-scientificchimera. This is plain wrong. Within the statement of theWeak Anthropic Principle (WAP), there are very clear explanationsfor why we see some things as they are – the context isneither religious, nor does it bring into question any scientific“beliefs without consensus” issue. <strong>The</strong> problem with the wayin which the WAP has been used in modern literature (bothpopular texts and supposedly refereed research articles), andI think Kanipe falls into this trap, is that it is used entirelyinappropriately and within a context to which it was neverintended to apply. <strong>The</strong> banal quip and quotation attributed toHeinz Pagels (page 256-7) is true in the exact opposite, selfagrandizingmanner in which he made it. Again, be that as itmay. My point, however, is that, for me, chapter 9 was at timesirritating, at times plain wrong, and overall not particularlyenlightening.Not wishing to end on a negative note, however, <strong>The</strong> CosmicConnection admirably achieves its primary goal of capturingthe big picture and unearthing our cosmic heritage (and potentialdoom). <strong>The</strong> narrative is well constructed, engaging, andoften soars to great heights of the imagination – and, indeed,imagination is one thing that this world desperately needsmore of. <strong>The</strong> fact that we, even the Earth and Solar Systemexist is an incredible turn of good fortune. It is amazing we’rehere and, if nothing else, <strong>The</strong> Cosmic Connection reminds usthat we should try to take better care of what we have beforethe metaphorical greater Universe uncaringly takes it awayfrom us.Martin BeechMartin Beech is a professor at Campion College, University ofRegina, and a familiar contributor to the Journal. His researchinterests tend to be related to bits and pieces of space debris thatimpact the Earth, some from the asteroid belt and others from variousplanets and the Moon, which might explain the engaging andslightly esoteric approach to book reviews. When he’s not dabblingin meteorites, he’s dabbling in the history of science, which makes hisWeb site a particularly interesting place to explore.Are you moving?Is your addresscorrect?If you are planning to move,or your address is incorrecton the label of your Journal,please contact the NationalOffce iimmediately:By changing your address inadvance, you will continue toreceive all issues of SkyNewsand the Observer’s Handbook.(416) 924-7973www.rasc.ca/contact134 JRASC | Promoting Astronomy In Canada June / juin 2011
Astrocrypticby Curt NasonACROSS1. Two guys to edit a handbook (7)5. On-line talk about new starter of ahandbook (5)8. She put Bok’s head in ruin with hergalaxy studies (5)9. Cluster of busy activity (7)10. Lunar cycle discovered in pulsaroscillations (5)11. Humility, endless and dispersed,detected in T Tauri stars (7)12. Watery ale in Neptune’s outer ring (5)14. Bishop and Whitman create ourcharter (5)16. Ritchey-Chrétien in C11 case imagedsomething from the compasses (7)18. Carbon and Fe 2O 3form on a planetarysurface (5)20. Mixed oil cuts someone who fixes poorseeing conditions (7)21. Bad thing for galaxy observing time (5)22. Duck down during Perseid eruption (5)23. Variable star rarely turns after first rising(1,1,5)DOWN1. World Series sound-alike (5)2. Where Calgary Centre is located rightin a turntable (7)3. Tidal basin where the main roilssouth (5)4. OIII device brings out lunar fire belt(7,6)5. Unstable reactor exposes controversialBig Bang alternative (7)6. A prism turns mica to iodine (5)7. Equilibrium desired in anotherMallinCam (7)12. Shape clay by one bullish sister (7)13. Black eye around one comparison ofVenus to Earth (7)15. Compare a crater within a crater as youfly north over part of Germany (7)17. Planetary requirement bought in apub (5)18. Disputed Martian feature recorded inan American almanac (5)19. Let it rearrange Patrick Moore’s inSirius (5)June / juin 2011JRASC | Promoting Astronomy In Canada135
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