The Little Book of Aliens

by Adam Frank

From astrophysicist Adam Frank, The Little Book of Aliens considers the biggest questions in our search for extraterrestrial life, questions we stand ready to answer. Everyone is curious about life in the universe, UFOs and whether ET is out there. Over the course of his thirty-year career as an astrophysicist, Frank has consistently been asked about the possibility of intelligent life in the universe. Are aliens real? Where are they? Why haven’t we found them? What happens if we do? We’ve long been led to believe that astronomers spend every night searching the sky for extraterrestials, but the truth is we have barely started looking.

Frank, a leading researcher in the field, takes us on a journey to all that we know about the possibility of life beyond planet Earth and shows us the cutting-edge science that has brought us to this unique moment in human history: the one where we go find out for ourselves. In this small book with big stakes, Frank gives a rundown of everything we need to know, from the scientific origins of the search for intelligent life, the Fermi Paradox, the Kardashev Scale, and the James Webb Telescope, as well as the conspiracy theories surrounding UFOs. Drawing from his own work and that of other scientists studying the possibility of alien life, he brings together the latest scientific thinking, data, ideas, and discoveries to equip us with the critical facts as we stand at what may be the last moment in human history where we still believe we are all alone.

In language that is engaging, entertaining, and fun, The Little Book of Aliens provides a comprehensive first look at how close we are to finding out if others actually exist—and if they do, what they might be like. Humankind is on the precipice of finding its neighbors. What comes next?

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Space, Aliens, Astronomy, Biology, Audiobook

272 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 24, 2023

About the author

Adam Frank is a professor of astrophysics at the University of Rochester. He is a co-founder of NPR’s 13.7: Cosmos and Culture blog and an on-air commentator for All Things Considered. He also served as the science consultant for Marvel Studio’s Dr. Strange. He lives in Rochester, New York.

Reviews

[Elyse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew from the get-go that I'd probably really like this book. This is NOT fiction. It is solid science written by astrophysicist, Adam Frank, who is heading a program being paid for by NASA to look for extraterrestrial life. Finally the search for life other than ours has lost some of its "giggle factor" as Frank calls it. This fairly new field is called astrobiology. And what astrobiologists are looking for are technosignatures (signs of technology seen from a distance). But they'd be glad to find evidence of an amoeba on another planet in our own solar system too.

The search for technosignatures has become possible due to our new large telescopes such as the James Webb. I was surprised to learn that the scientific community did not have proof until 1995 that planets existed around stars other than the Sun. We couldn't see them. As a matter of fact, most stars have planets. There are so many that astrobiologists need to learn how to pinpoint those most likely to have technological civilizations since there are now so many places to look. Earth has only had a technological civilization for 100 years. (The Roman Empire and ancient China don't count.)

I liked some of Frank's chapter titles: Chapter 3, WTF UFOs and UAPs? How They Do, or Do Not, Fit Into the Search for Aliens; Chapter 4, What If they ARE Aliens? If UFOs are ET, How'd They Get Here, and What the Hell Are They Doing?; Chapter 6, How Are We Going to Spy on ET? This is definitely a book for the general public who think NASA hasn't been doing much since the end of the shuttle program. No, they've been busy. Scientists or those who have been staying abreast of space news might be bored by this book. I am one of the knuckleheads and am glad to be enlightened. This is a slam dunk 5 stars from me.

[Bill Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Little Book of Aliens is a highly readable and up-to-date overview of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). Written in a witty and approachable style, the book highlights the game-changing progress that has been made in SETI in the last thirty years, taking into account major advances in technology like the James Webb Space Telescope and the discovery that planets (and especially habitable zone planets) are fairly abundant.

SETI is no longer just about looking for signals or, more controversially, sending signals. New technologies, advances in computer technology and hard experience now enable scientists to search for biosignatures, technosignatures, and even alien artifacts. It may even be that UAPs—unidentified anomalous phenomena—have a story to tell, although Hart remains skeptical that they will turn out to have an alien origin.

Hart’s enthusiasm for the subject is infectious and makes this book a real pleasure to read. Filled with insights about a mind-blowing topic, it’s a real page turner. Highly recommended.

[Andy]

DNF. I skimmed this because there's not much surprising if you follow science news.
I gave up at the point where he's talking about terraforming and he says you wouldn't want to live on a planet with a methane atmosphere because that "smells like fart gas." I'm sure UFO fans don't care, but the fact is that methane is odorless. People who know chemistry or public health should know that, but I guess it's not a big deal for a book about aliens. But then why does he go out of his way to bring it up? For a fart joke?

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It reads like other condensed guides, such as "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry", and is just as informative and enjoyable. For any geeks, nerds and SF fans, much of this will be familiar...but it's nice to have a condensed, one-stop-shop on the current state of affairs regarding the search for extraterrestrial life.

[jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

everybody loves aliens. i know this because everybody tells me they love aliens. life in the universe is the first thing people ask me about when they hear i’m an astrophysicist. “do aliens exist?” is one of those special questions, kind of like “what happens after you die?” lots of opinions, no real answers, and, most importantly, actually knowing the answer would change the world.

adam frank’s the little book of aliens is big on passion and enthusiasm (and dad humor), offering a rather thorough introductory course on the past and present science of (the search for) alien life. the american astrophysicist covers a wide range of subjects, from the early days of seti, to ufo hoaxes, exoplanet discovery, biosignature and technosignature exploration, and much more. across nearly four dozen short subchapters, frank imagines and explains — within the parameters of known physics, biology, and chemistry — the who/what/when/where/why/how of alien life. as a science educator, frank’s most effective tools may well be his contagious curiosity, excitement, and wonder, which makes the little book of aliens a consistently engaging, spirited look at humanity’s biggest unanswered question.

[MiniCarmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soy una frikaza de los aliens, no me escondo. Pocos temas me llaman la atención como para querer leer no ficción y este es uno de ellos. Me interesa mucho el tema aliens, extraterrestres, planetas, estrellas y todo lo que puede existir ahí fuera, qué le hago si de pequeña yo quería ser astronáuta. Lastimosamente, Discovery ha hecho mucho daño en la divulgación extraterreste y eso hay que tomarlos como entretenimiento y poco más, que luego la gente nos ve como personas con gorritos de papel de aluminio y tampoco es eso. Tenía ganas de leer algo serio y aquí está, lo encontré.

Increíble como el "pequeño" libro trata tantísimos puntos de un modo científico y sencillo para todos los públicos. No se deja nada en el tintero, el autor nos explica desde cuales son las preguntas que realmente hay que hacerse (sí, es importante), la revolución que fueron los supuestos avistamientos en el siglo XX y la influencia de la cultura pop, cómo podríamos contactar o que nos contactasen, posibilidades reales de viajar a otros planetas, zonas habitables, exoplanetas, condiciones para que se de la vida en otros planetas, cómo sería su forma según la bioquímica, biología... muchísimas cosas. Todo desde un punto científico y las cosas más teoricas/fantasiosas te explica por qué podría ser que sí o que no.

Este es uno de esos libros que te abren la mente, te guste o interese más o menos el tema, te hace ver el mundo de otra forma. Al menos a mi me hace pensar en el poco tiempo que lleva el ser humano en la Tierra, en lo poco que estamos cada uno individualmente en comparación con los miles millones de años que tienen los planetas. Lo lejos que están otros planetas aparentemente cercanos como Marte, y lo más lejos todavía que están los de fuera de la galaxia. Los cientos de años que tardaría un mensaje en llegar (si es que llega) y la misma cantidad para recibir una respuesta). Me explota la cabeza, da que pensar lo pequeños e insignificantes que somos en comparación.

Ciertamente es un poco desalentador si lo que buscamos son respuestas a dónde están los aliens y por qué no hacen acto de presencia de una vez. Hay demasiadas variables y tienen que ser condiciones muy concretas, mucha casualidad sería que coincidamos con seres extraterrestres, pero quien quiera saberlas que lea el libro.

Es una lectura muy amena, al principio sí que puede resultar más densa pero se pasa enseguida. El autor lo hace todo fácil y lo explica con un toque de humor que no resulte aburrido. Me ha durado dos meses, no es de esos libros para leer del tirón, pero sí una sección a la semana. Se queda como un libro de consulta y referencia, porque además cita un montón de estudios reales y lecturas recomendadas. Se nota que el autor ama su trabajo y su investigación, yo lo recomendaría mucho si me preguntasen por un libro de este estilo.

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Little Book of Aliens (2023) by Adam Frank is an excellent short book about the search for alien life. Frank is a professor of astrophysics.

The book quickly goes over the history of the idea of aliens, which goes back as far as ancient Greece. The idea of the Drake Equation is introduced in this chapter. The next chapter jumps to the modern pondering of aliens. Here from the mid 20th century and onward ideas about Dyson Spheres and the Kardashev Scale appear.

Frank describes how aliens or people could plausibly travel interstellar distances. Surprisingly he doesn't add nuclear powered spacecraft like Project Orion or Project Daedalus.

Frank then writes about incidents in Roswell and modern alleged sightings of UFOs and aliens on earth. He then ponders how real aliens could possibly have arrived on earth. Beyond that the book describes how we can really search for aliens. Frank shows how scientists have worked out some of the constants in the Drake Equation. Frank writes about how remarkable it is to have discovered so many planets in the past 30 years. It’s also incredible that their position in solar systems has been worked out.

The book next looks at what is coming. The next generation of telescopes may find bio-signatures or techno-signatures of alien life. Frank also explains what these are. He writes about how it’s really possible that we will find evidence of alien life in the next few decades.

The Little Book of Aliens is an excellent book. It’s short and full of fascinating facts about the search for alien life.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable and educational view on the science behind the possibility of life in the universe. I really enjoyed the way it was written and it felt very comprehensible to me as a non-scientist!

[Mike Keyser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my new reference bible! If you enjoy “movie popcorn” aliens but salivate for a more science based cuisine, Adam Frank serves up a rare delicacy with The Little Book of Aliens. Separating the Sci from the Fi and telling us why!

[Josh Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fun as hell. Fascinating topic and the author’s tone and excitement surrounding it all was infectious. Great background on a lot that’s happened in the last century before exploring what it would mean, how it would happen, etc. if we found aliens. Highly recommend. 8.5/10

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

100% recommend this book! a new (for me) favorite author. knowledgeable and funny💕

[David Agranoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Little Book of Aliens by Adam Frank
I tend not to write as long of reviews for the non-fiction stuff, but I really looked forward to this one. I have been behind and slow on reviews because I have a bunch of short story invites and have been hard at work on The Philip K. Dick Encyclopedia. Enough excuses.
Adam Frank is a regular on a few podcasts I enjoy including Into the Impossible, so I have enjoyed him talking about Aliens. It is nice to hear informed scientifically sound podcasts on the topic. I mean I love Coast to Coast, but I mostly roll my eyes at it.
This is a pretty short not overly academic book, it was designed to be readable, but written by a very smart academic that looks at all aspects of the topic. His sarcasm is mostly well-timed comic relief and got laughter out of me at the right moments.
I admit I was less interested in the UAP, UFO stuff as I find that topic mostly silly, that said I enjoy the parts of the book that talk about SETI, and enjoyed when Frank digs into just how different alien life could/would be. I enjoyed the talk of evolutionary differences. That was the most interesting stuff for me. For genre writers, there is lots of good stuff that can and should influence writers to make aliens that are solidly alien and not actors with forehead ridges like Star Trek in the 90s. I like Star Trek in the 90s but I think you know what I mean.
The history of SETI is very important in this book. Frank details how the search for alien life and our understanding of it evolved. I really wish I read this before writing my first contact novel, but it is not published yet. So maybe not too late. That should be the target audience of Science Fiction authors. We will get much from it.
This is a really good library checkout. If your library doesn’t have it, order it soon.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely more of a surface level overview of lots of topics about how we could potentially find out if aliens exist and what they might be like.

I knew most of it already, mainly from serious science fiction, but a few nuggets were new and very interesting — like the extra-solar object detected in 2018 that has a very unnatural shape and its own acceleration, how did I miss that!

[Derek Swansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six stars. If you like aliens, space, and S.T.E.M this book is for you.

[avery ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was actually way more fascinating than I was expecting bc I have never really cared about astronomy but this was cool 😝

[Kellie Matson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe my favorite non fiction read of 2024? I just love space so much. And the beautiful science that brings it to life. Probably going to do an immediate second read 🤌🏼

[Rusty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Look, I’m not going to lie, I feel like I should really remember this book much better than I do. In fact, I almost re-read it when I saw it in my pile of things to ‘Review’ and it didn’t ring any bells. I skimmed it until I started to recall stuff.

My thoughts? It was fine. But forgettable. Nut much more I can say than that. Well, except maybe to say if you’re super into the idea of the Fermi Paradox and the search for aliens, but have never spent any time actually looking into the topic, then this is for you.

If you have already looked into it, then I doubt you’ll find anything here you aren’t already familiar with.

I am curious that if this book, and others like it, and all the speculation by experts and thinkers of the subject actually covers the real reason we’ve never definitively detected an alien intelligence. I mean, what if we’re rubber and their glue, and any contacting they try bounces of us and sticks to them*?

Or maybe they keep contacting us, and we discover it, and they realize they screwed it all up and they erase our collective memories and they keep trying it over and over again until they get it right.

*That saying really sucks when trying to use it in the third person. “Glue” rhymes with “you” much better than it does with “their.” Ugh.

[Austin Herold · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was originally introduced to Adam Frank by watching his October 2023 interview with Universe Today’s Fraser Cain, provokingly titled “You Don’t Understand The Fermi Paradox.” Frank comes off as exactly the right type of public intellectual needed in our time: nerdy and with childlike zeal oozing from every fiber of his being to understand the deepest questions of the universe, while simultaneously willing to school us on the nuances of the science. He asks and answers the questions we all want to know using a rigorous philosophical framework developed over the last 70 years of inquiry into the grand question of if we are alone in the cosmos.

The Little Book of Aliens is a succinct popular science guide, written in a conversational and familiar tone, to the current search for extraterrestrial life. Frank highlights the history of the question, taking the reader on a personal tour, with stops at Roswell, Enrico Fermi’s famous paradox, Frank Drake’s pioneering early work in the field of SETI, and other curiosities including Dyson swarms and the Kardashev scale. The reader is also introduced to recent scientific revolutions that have made the current search for extraterrestrial life possible, including the discovery of exoplanets, the ability to characterize the composition of their atmospheres with the transit method, and the new frontiers opened by the James Webb Space Telescope. Finally, Frank, involved with the first NASA-funded research program on technosignatures (the new term for extraterrestrial intelligence), helps the reader understand the importance of extraterrestrial life in our society, and how its discovery might impact us profoundly.

Frank is able to encapsulate us at the hook with tantalizing knowledge of other worlds and keep our attention with his wit and excitement. I only wish that this book had been filled with concrete figures and imaginative illustrations as stimulating as Frank’s words to broaden our perspectives even more.

[Luke Hertigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a pretty interesting read. Adam Frank goes over the potential of Alien life in both scientific and cultural perspectives. He dives in humanity's history with aliens, scientific theories regarding aliens and the impact of aliens in pop culture. With these seemingly complex topics, Frank puts it into am understandable way for the reader and made it an engaging read.

[Greg Talbot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thousands of years from now, on some exoplanet, a small biomarker or footprint could be found, some eerie evidence of a civilization, once known as Earth. 


Whether it’s a future tale to be told, or the beginning to a pulp sci-fi 1950s novel, Adam Frank’s illuminating “The Little Book of Aliens”, takes a critical lens to the search for extraterrestrial life.  Greek philosophers like Aristotle and Epicurus gave perspectives supporting or negating life beyond our planet, but it’s only been since the 1950s that science has caught up to the cosmic imagination.


Frank expands on the research boon from Cold War paranoia. “Once the nuclear and space ages got going in the 1950s, aliens began their insidious invasion of our collective, cultural mind space (p.32). Missiles, satelites, radar, advanced telescopes littered our skies, and brought our eyes outward endlessly scanning for new threats. 


Beyond the noise and false flags like the Roswell weather balloon incident, there was an opening to genuine inquiry for extraterrestrial search. “Essence of good science is constrained imagination” (p.45), Frank writes, indicating that the magical thinking of alien folklore had to be replaced by the demands of rational thought. 


Having never explored these ideas in earnest, I really appreciated how Frank explored the fundamental questions and research spawned. For many, the call to action may be Enrico Fermi’s fundamental question regarding the great silence- ‘where is everyone else’. Luckily, it doesn’t end there. Frank dives into the driving experiments of the 1950s and 1960s. The establishment of SETI. Searching for radio signals from project Ozma. Finding watery habitable planets as defined by Su-Shu. Scouring for Dyson spheres or alien technologies to harvest energies of neighboring stars. Or the grand theory of them all, the Drake Equation, setting probabilities to variables for a life sustaining world.


Most impressively, we are at the doorstep of new discoveries. In the last 30 years, exoplanets and trillions of planets have shaken up our understanding of our expansive universe. Continual advancements of our technology through big data and AI tools and better satellites such as the James Webb, have given us tools to discover biosignatures or technosignatures. Frank recalls walking NYC Hayden Planetarium as a child full of wonder - one can only imagine how children today walking through the same halls, seeing all the revelations of the past 50 years would react. Science as he states, is conservative, and requires great evidence for great claims. Our moment may soon arrive.


There are so many interesting chapters throughout the book. Thoughtful writings on personal accounts of alien encounters. Discussions on how aliens may reach us, interact with us, or even their evolution. I was most taken with how Frank explores the beauty of science and mathematics. There may be laws of physics we have now encountered yet, but all of our cosmos are bound by these laws. It gives us a template with which to examine the evolution of biology and evolution of technology for alien life. Mathematical laws, he states, are as beautiful as the highpoints our culture, such as Coltrane’s “A love Supreme” or Led Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker” (p.44). Thoroughly dissecting the Drake Equation and all the statistical impossibilities for extraterrestrial life and our own improbable lives, we are left with humility and awe.

[Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am no expert in aliens, but I’ve always been curious about the topic because there is a lot of information and one never knows where to start. Facebook provides a lot of condensed information about aliens since the beginning of human history, and it’s been amazing to see the proof, the lies, the evidence, the questions, and the discoveries on the topic. Adam Frank has a way with words, and he explains with so much clarity, that this is the perfect book to read if you want to understand more about aliens. Besides it has witty comments that make you chuckle at the same time that you’re learning. Totally recommended.

I won this book through Goodreads and I thank to publishers for providing me this copy. My review isn't influenced by this fact.

[Livvy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was fascinating to learn about the history of the legitimate study of aliens and popular hoaxes. The author is always very skeptical and sticks to the facts, which I really admire. He tells us about popular UFO hoaxes and how most "evidence" you hear related to these cases is anecdotal, with no facts backing it up.

How the author explained these complicated scientific studies and ideas was perfect for the ordinary person. I understood them well and want to continue learning about them.

In all, the book was like the commentary YouTube videos I love watching. But instead of added fanfare, it stuck to facts, which can be even more entertaining than fiction.

[Bobby Desmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Dune and Three Body Problem, I was curious for scientific answer about what alien life will look like when we find it. Frank, a leading astrobiologist, provides reasoned, well-researched answers to every question imaginable and convincingly debunks sightings of UFOs on Earth.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent and accessible introduction to astrobiology. As a space nerd, a lot of this was review, but there are still some very interesting discussions especially about the perception of the field and how it's evolved over time.

[Ian White · Rating 5 out of 5]

tons of great content packed into this tiny treasure, super enlightening and curiosity inspiring

[Andrew Owen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid overview and the Drake equation stuff was terrific. You feel the author's excitement as he writes about the subject.

[Noelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

For having a lot of “hard science” this was surprisingly *not* dry (and the narrator was fun too). For any fans of sci fi, check out this detailed account of the real science.

Listened on my phone from the library.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh if only I was smart enough to be an astronomer! What a fun and fascinating book on the search for extraterrestrial life. The author did a great job of making complex concepts of physics and chemistry both interesting and understandable.

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf, too much science

[Christopher Angulo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as exciting as Loeb's books, but definitely a more balanced book about the history and current search for life on other planets.