(ORDO NEWS) — At one time, scientists believed that Saturn was a potential home to alien life.
Published in 1698, the book provides an unusual look at how people of that time perceived the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
Discovered by book appraiser Jim Spencer at an antique appraisal event in Gloucestershire, England, the book was written by Christian Huygens. It describes the study of the possible existence of extraterrestrial beings, raising the question of why God created other planets.
The title of this unusual book is “The Heavenly World: Or Guesses About the Inhabitants, Plants, and Productions of Worlds on the Planets.”
Many of the ideas and conclusions that Huygens comes to in the book seem a little strange by today’s standards, but this is not strange for the science of that time.
He suggests that sentient aliens must have arms like ours due to their convenience, and that they must also have human legs (unless they have evolved the ability to fly).
He also suggests that these creatures are likely to engage in many of the same sports and interests that we do, such as astronomy, swimming, and listening to music, but they are also likely to suffer from poverty, war, and other misfortunes. because it is what promotes invention and progress.
The book, which will be sold at auction, is expected to fetch up to $4,000.
“It’s interesting to think who turned those pages in 1698, how they must have felt reading these descriptions of life on Jupiter or Saturn before looking up at the night sky,” Spencer said.
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