IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?

A journalist weighs the evidence for life beyond Earth.

Definite proof of extraterrestrials remains frustratingly absent, but there are many reasons to think there must be life out there, somewhere. In this clearly written work, Krantz carefully considers several of them. Beginning with ‘Oumuamua, the mysterious interstellar visitor that zoomed through our solar system in 2017, she goes on to tally some of the many sightings of UFOs (or UAPs, “unidentified aerial phenomena,” as they are now officially dubbed), summarize recent thinking about the origins of life on Earth, and describe the space telescopes and other “cool tools” scientists are using to look for life elsewhere. She also interviews leading scientists and visits the roadside attraction “UFO Watchtower” in Colorado in the quixotic hope of a personal sighting. Krantz gives readers a chance to clarify their own beliefs by weighing the Drake Equation, which calculates the mathematical probability of extraterrestrial life, against both Stephen Hawking’s warnings about the potential downside of meeting aliens more technologically advanced than we are and Enrico Fermi’s very good question, “Where is everybody?” Lots of backmatter, including extensive source notes, follow up a closing overview of promising sites in our own stellar neighborhood. Nobre’s orange and purple screen prints of retro flying saucers and big-headed alien silhouettes are too fanciful to suit the author’s judicious tone but do add splashes of color.

A readable, even-handed overview.