The Possibility of Life: Science, Imagination, and Our Quest for Kinship in the Cosmos

Jaime Green

Apr 2023 · Sold by Harlequin

About this ebook

An LA Times Book Prize Finalist
A Washington Post Best Book of the Year
A TODAY Show Summer Book
An NPR Science Friday Book Club Pick
A "Next Big Idea Book Club" Must Read
One of the Chicago Tribune's 52 Books for Summer 2023
An Esquire Best Book of 2023
A Gizmodo New Release Pick for April
A BookRiot Science Book to Add to Your TBR
A Wired Book to Read for Spring

"A dazzling feat of imagination and synthesis."—Ed Yong, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of An Immense World

A spellbinding exploration of alien life and the cosmos, examining how the possibility of life on other planets shapes our understanding of humanity

One of the most powerful questions humans ask about the cosmos is: Are we alone? While the science behind this inquiry is fascinating, it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It is a reflection of our values, our fears, and most importantly, our enduring sense of hope.

In The Possibility of Life, acclaimed science journalist Jaime Green traces the history of our understanding, interweaving into one striking narrative:

• the roadmap of our solar system, beginning with Galileo and Copernicus
• our contemporary quest for exoplanets
• insights from science fiction writers who construct worlds that inspire scientists
• expert interviews, cutting-edge astronomy research, and philosophical inquiry
• pop culture touchstones ranging from A Wrinkle in Time to Star Trek to Arrival

The Possibility of Life explores our evolving conception of the cosmos to ask an even deeper question: What does it mean to be human?

Ratings and reviews

From Galileo to the current search for exoplanets, this entertaining and easy-to-read book traces the history of the human fascination with the cosmos and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Including examples from science fiction, it reveals the cultural and scientific implications of this quest—and what is says about humanity. There's a lot to enjoy here for both science and sci-fi fans. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

About the author

Jaime Green is a science writer, essayist, editor, and teacher, and she is series editor of The Best American Science and Nature Writing. She received her MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Columbia, and her writing has appeared in Slate, Popular Science, The New York Times Book Review, American Theatre, Catapult, Astrobites, and elsewhere. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and son.