Human beings have wondered about the stars since the dawn of the species. Does life exist out there – intelligent life, even – or are we alone? The quest for life in the universe touches on fundamental hopes and fears. It touches on the essence of what it means to formulate a theory, grasp a concept, and have an imagination. This book traces the history of the science of this area and the development of new schools in philosophy. Its essays (...) seek to establish the history and philosophy of astrobiology as research fields in their own right by addressing cognitive, linguistic, epistemological, ethical, cultural, societal, and historical perspectives on astrobiology. (shrink)

The beginnings of photographic astronomy in Sweden are taken as a case study of the incorporation of a new scientific technology. The introduction of photography during the late nineteenth century profoundly changed the way astronomers worked. Observational material became more mobile; photographic plates could be examined at a later date or transported to another location. Photography was presented in a rhetorical language, making it a truly objective way of observing the sky. The new technology was developed at the leading observatories, (...) and was imported into countries such as Sweden through a network of scientific communication. (shrink)

Summary The aim of this paper is to explore relations between science and the public. Specifically, Swedish meteorology around 1900 and the rôle of media relations in the construction of a storm-warning system will be discussed. It is argued that science–public interaction can be a factor in the process of establishing priorities in science.