Reviews

"This wonderful book unravels the tangled ball of humanity's thinking about aliens, and tells the whole story with high humor and immense clarity. Adam Frank helpfully explains what scientists are doing now to explore the galaxy remotely in search of answers to this fascinating mystery. Read this and you'll know as much as anyone does on the topic-- it's as clear as a map, as clear as Drake's Equation." - Kim Stanley Robinson, author of The Ministry for the Future and the Mars trilogy
"From the details of the origins of life on Earth, to the physics (and hypothetical future physics) of interstellar travel, The Little Book of Aliens is a comprehensive exploration of the seemingly limitless potential of intelligent life, human and beyond. Frank's book is science writing at its best, revealing the awe-inspiring capacity of science to help us understand, and navigate, the universe." - Annaka Harris, New York Times bestselling author of Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind
"Aliens and UFOs have held perennial fascination for us all. Now, Adam Frank gives us an entertaining romp through our quickly changing attitudes to these topics. In just the last decade, biologists have achieved genuine insights into life's origin, and astronomers have discovered thousands of 'exoplanets' orbiting distant stars. At last, we understand what to look for and where, and Adam Frank has written it down for us." - Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal and author of From Here to Infinity and On the Future
"After years of dreaming about exploring the cosmos for signs of intelligent life, [Frank] and other scientists are on the threshold of a new era of unprecedented discovery in the field of astrobiology.... The book brims with fascinating facts and speculations....Frank advises we look for alien life where it most likely exists: deep space. He also stresses the key point that we have only begun to peer into the universe with instruments capable of breakthrough discoveries, a useful riposte to critics of the effort. Throughout, Frank champions the importance of demanding standards of evidence: 'They are, literally, why science works.'" - Kirkus Reviews
"'Is there anyone out there?' asks University of Rochester astrophysicist Frank in this animated overview of scientists' search for extraterrestrial life.... Frank discusses some of the ways astronomers are currently looking for aliens and hospitable planets, including studying the chemical composition of distant planets' atmospheres by observing how they filter starlight as it passes through... a solid survey of the hunt for life beyond Earth." - Publishers Weekly
"Utilizing just enough hard science and plenty of examples to aid in understanding some of the basics of astrobiology, like Dyson spheres and the Drake equation, Frank has provided the reader with a thorough and exciting front-row seat to the future of searching for life in other worlds." - Booklist
"An irreverent, expert, and characteristically 'frank' overview of all things aliens, from the Drake Equation to UFOs to warp drive. This is a whirlwind tour from Roswell to the James Webb Space Telescope that stays firmly rooted in physics and the scientific method." - Jason T. Wright, professor of astronomy and astrophysics and director of the Penn State Extraterrestrial Intelligence Center
"With wit and brio, Frank separates current nonsense about aliens from the serious and fascinating search for extraterrestrial life."
- Carlo Rovelli, New York Times bestselling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics