What We Imagine ”Out There” Reflects How We See Each Other

It appears we're not alone. No one enjoys solitude, and based on yesterday's testimony, we seem to have company in the cosmos.

Science fiction has certainly presented us with a myriad of interpretations of what might exist beyond our planet. However, the individual manner in which we conceptualize the possibility of extraterrestrial life becomes a sort of Rorschach test—reflecting our worldviews, our notions of life, and our innate longing to connect with something larger than ourselves, even on an intergalactic level.

This flight of imagination is a significant element of what my guest, Jamie Green, discusses in her book, The Possibility of Life. In it, she delves into our evolving understanding of the cosmos and underscores our need to pose an even deeper question: What does it mean to be human?

My conversation with Jamie Green: