Discover the groundbreaking insights of "Popular Science: The Search for Alien Life, Special Edition," as we delve into the mysteries of the universe—including the captivating concepts of the first contact, other earths, and water worlds. Explore the tantalizing evidence that brings us closer to the strongest proof yet of extraterrestrial life within our solar system, while envisioning breathtaking cities in space. Join us on this extraordinary journey to uncover the secrets of the cosmos and ignite your curiosity about life's possibilities beyond Earth!
SEARCH FOR ALIEN LIFE
UPPING OUR GAME
PART 1 ARE WE ALONE? • THE VASTNESS OF THE COSMOS WITH ITS TRILLIONS OF EARTHLIKE WORLDS MEANS GREAT ODDS OF ALIEN INTELLIGENCE ALONG WITH CITIES AND CIVILIZATIONS IN SPACE.
THE LONG LISTEN • SURELY WE’RE NOT THE ONLY SMART, TECHNOLOGICAL SPECIES IN THE UNIVERSE. THE SEARCH IS HEATING UP.
DECODING THE COSMOS • THESE ARE THE TERMS ASTROBIOLOGISTS USE WHEN DISCUSSING THE SEARCH FOR INTELLIGENT LIFE IN SPACE.
WHAT ARE THE ODDS? • CHANCES ARE THAT EVOLUTION SPARKED INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE MANY TIMES BEFORE.
36 Flavors • THERE COULD BE THREE DOZEN CIVILIZATIONS ADVANCED ENOUGH TO MAKE RADIO CONTACT WITH EARTH.
LEVELING UP • THE UNIVERSE COULD BE TEEMING WITH FEDERATIONS, TIME TRAVELERS, STELLAR HARVESTERS AND CURIOUS BEINGS LIKE US. WHEN WE FIND INTELLIGENT EXTRATERRESTRIALS IN SPACE, JUST HOW ADVANCED WILL THEY BE?
PART 2 ALIVE IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM • FROM MICROBES ON MARS TO REMNANTS OF ALIEN VOYAGERS FROM THE DISTANT PAST, THE SEARCH FOR LIFE NEAR HOME IS ON.
red rover • THE SMALL, PERIPATETIC LAB THAT COULD IS TURNING OVER EVERY ROCK AND DELVING INTO EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY IN THE JEZERO CRATER ON MARS IN THE QUEST FOR EVIDENCE OF LIFE.
What Lies Beneath • A BREW OF WATER, ROCK AND RADIOACTIVITY MAY SUSTAIN MICROBES BELOW THE MARTIAN SURFACE.
UP IN THE CLOUDS • WHY RESEARCHERS NOW DOUBT THE FANTASY OF LIFE FLOURISHING IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF VENUS.
UNDER THE ICE • THERE ARE SIX KEY ELEMENTS FOR LIFE. ALL OF THEM EXIST ON SATURN’S OCEAN MOON ENCELADUS.
8 More Frozen Orbs
seeds of creation • METEORITES OLDER THAN THE SOLAR SYSTEM CONTAIN COMPOUNDS FOUND IN DNA AND RNA, SUPPORTING THE THEORY THAT KEY ORGANIC INGREDIENTS JOURNEYED LIGHT-YEARS TO ARRIVE.
Interplanetary Ark • A UNIQUE TRICK COULD LET MICROBES ZIP FROM EARTH TO MARS AND SURVIVE THE TREK.
PART 3 OTHER EARTHS • THEY HAVE ATMOSPHERES AND OCEANS, AND ORBIT THEIR OWN STARS. COULD WE RULE THESE OUTPOSTS, OR DO THEY ALREADY HARBOR INTELLIGENCE SIMILAR TO OUR OWN?
HUNT FOR THE EXOPLANETS • ASTROBIOLOGIST LISA KALTENEGGER IS FOCUSED ON LOOKING FOR RICH ATMOSPHERES, WORLDS OF MANY COLORS, ROCKY PLANETS WITH WATER AND COSMIC MAPS TO HELP US REACH IT ALL.
water worlds • A NEW CLASS OF SUPER-WET PLANETS AND MOONS MAY EXIST BEYOND THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
super-earths • BIGGER AND MORE HABITABLE THAN EARTH ITSELF, THEY MAY BE THE LIKELIEST PLACE IN THE GALAXY TO FIND LIFE.
IT’S BIOLOGY! • WITH THE HELP OF THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE, ASTRONOMERS ARE SEEKING ALIEN SIGNATURES OF ORGANIC LIFE IN SPACE.
The Signal Gets Stronger
Alien Air
Dark and Deep
pollution, power and cities in space • FORGET RADIO SIGNALS. FOR THE BEST CHANCE OF FINDING OTHERS, SCIENTISTS SAY, FOCUS ON ADVANCED ENERGY SCHEMES, INTERSTELLAR COMMUNICATIONS AND INDUSTRY AROUND STARS.
Come Find Us • While we’re looking for aliens, they may also be looking for us. Here are some things that have left them a trail of technobreadcrumbs.
watching worlds • A NEW GENERATION OF TELESCOPES IS LOOKING ACROSS DESERTS, OVER MOUNTAINTOPS AND OUT INTO THE...