Among my friends and family, I am notorious for being a skeptic. I don't believe in ghosts; I find all cryptozoological sightings unconvincing; I dismiss astrology out of hand. But (and this might surprise my inner circle) I am quite open to the possibility that some form of extraterrestrial life exists. I agree with what Alexandra Oliva wrote in The Atlantic this week: 'Considering the sheer number of stars in the cosmos, and the possibly larger number of planets that revolve around them, the idea that humans are alone in the universe strikes me as unlikely. So, instead, I wonder: What is that life like, and will we ever encounter it'' Oliva recommended six books in which the presence of aliens prompts readers to think more deeply about humanity. Do I believe that another planet's life-forms would be anything like us'social, intelligent, self-aware' Well ' that's where my skepticism kicks back in. But I suppose I can't rule it out, and imagining what another species might value...
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