But they also share a quality that is extraordinarily common in human endeavors the world over and since the beginning of historical records: loneliness. The exploration of outer space, and particularly the search for extraterrestrial life, is in large part driven by our desire to feel a reciprocated connection with the universe. We don’t just want to sense; we want to be sensed. We don’t just want to find life; we want to find intelligent life. We want to be spoken to.
