Light of the Stars: Alien Worlds and the Fate of the Earth

Finalist for the 2019 Phi Beta Kappa Award for Science "A valuable perspective on the most important problem of our time." ―Adam Becker, NPRLight of the Stars tells the story of humanity’s coming of age as we realize we might not be alone in this universe. Astrophysicist Adam Frank traces the question of alien life from the ancient Greeks to modern thinkers, and he demonstrates that recognizing the possibility of its existence might be the key to save us from climate change. With clarity and conviction, Light of the Stars asks the consequential question: What can the likely presence of life on other planets tell us about our own fate? 20 illustrations