The search for alien life
What would be the more shocking revelation: that our universe is teeming with life, making us just another mundane, if self-obsessed, organic smear across an unremarkable rocky planet orbiting a dime-a-billion yellow star; or that the universe is devoid of other intelligent life, making us astronomically unique, if no less self-obsessed?
Because, despite the best efforts of stargazers, we still don’t know which scenario is more likely to be true. In fact, every day, and every radio telescope sweep of the heavens that goes by without detecting even the faintest peep of alien life, makes it ever more likely that we are alone, adrift among the cold burning stars. When we gaze into the
