Contents

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Preface ix
4. 1 Are There Alien Taxi Drivers? 1
5. 2 Would Alien Contact Change Us All? 13
6. 3 Should I Be Worried about a Martian Invasion? 29
7. 4 Should We Solve Problems on Earth before Exploring Space? 43
8. 5 Will I Go on a Trip to Mars? 59
9. 6 Is There Still Glory in Exploration? 75
10. 7 Is Mars Our Planet B? 89
11. 8 Do Ghosts Exist? 103
12. 9 Are We Exhibits in an Alien Zoo? 119
13. 10 Will We Understand the Aliens? 133
14. 11 Might the Universe Be Devoid of Aliens? 149
15. 12 Is Mars an Awful Place to Live? 163
16. 13 Will Space Be Full of Tyrannies or Free Societies? 179
17. 14 Do Microbes Deserve Our Protection? 193
18. 15 How Did Life Begin? 209
19. 16 Why Do We Need Oxygen to Breathe? 225
20. 17 What Is the Meaning of Life? 241
21. 18 Are We Exceptional? 255
22. Further Reading 269
23. Acknowledgments 279
24. Image Credits 281
25. Index 283