An Anthropologist On Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales eBook

The origin of the solar system has been a matter of speculation for many
centuries, and since the time of Newton it has been possible to apply
scientific principles to the problem. A succession of theories, starting
with that of Pierre Laplace in 1796, has gained general acceptance,
only to fall from favor due to its contradiction in some basic
scientific principle or new heavenly observation. Modern observations by
spacecraft of the solar system, the stars, and extra-solar planetary
systems continuously provide new information that may be helpful in
finding a plausible theory as well as present new constraints for any
such theory to satisfy.
The Origin and Evolution of the Solar
System begins by describing historical (pre-1950) theories and
illustrating why they became unacceptable. The main part of the book
critically examines five extant theories, including the current
paradigm, the solar nebula theory, to determine how well they fit with
accepted scientific principles and observations. This analysis shows
that the solar nebula theory satisfies the principles and observational
constraints no better than its predecessors. The capture theory put
forward by the author fares better and also indicates an initial
scenario leading to a causal series of events that explain all the major
features of the solar system.