First Contact - by Becky Ferreira (Hardcover)

About the Book

"First Contact explores the ancient idea--and epic quest to prove--that we are not alone in the universe. Presented in a heavily illustrated cabinet of curiosities format, the book explores our fascination with aliens from early history to present day, including chapters on alien conspiracy theories, aliens in science fiction, the actual science behind our search for aliens, and what happens if and when they come...or, if we are in fact descended from them. Each chapter is filled with bite-sized explainers and longer sections on meatier topics such as habitable zones, xenolinguistics, and UFO religions. Smaller topics include alien abductions, ancient astronauts, exodinosaurs, Project Cyclops, and the Great Moon Hoax"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

A narrative and visual exploration of humanity's age-old search for and fixation with extraterrestrials.

First Contact explores the ancient idea--and epic quest to prove--that we are not alone in the universe. Presented in a heavily illustrated cabinet of curiosities format, the book explores our fascination with aliens from early history to present day, including chapters on alien conspiracy theories, aliens in science fiction, the actual science behind our search for aliens, and what happens if and when they come...or, if we are in fact descended from them.

Each chapter is filled with bite-sized explainers and longer sections on meatier topics such as habitable zones, xenolinguistics, and UFO religions. Smaller topics include alien abductions, ancient astronauts, exodinosaurs, Project Cyclops, and the Great Moon Hoax.

Review Quotes

"A relentlessly entertaining tour of aliens both familiar and peculiar--it made me clap my hands together in delight over and over again. Ferreira has put together a true marvel here. . . . What a rush!"--Robin George Andrews, author of How to Kill an Asteroid

"If I could pick one book to be abducted with, this would be it."

--Brian Merchant, bestselling author of Blood in the Machine

"A must-read for anyone interested in the past, present, and future of our attempts to make contact with life beyond Earth . . . Ferreira approaches the extraterrestrial question with a perfect balance of wit and wonder, asking not just if we're alone, but what it will mean for humanity if we finally discover we're not."--Daniel Oberhaus, author of Extraterrestrial Languages

"From the deep past to the dreams and realities of the present to the uncertainty and potential of the future, Ferreira brilliantly synthesizes the science, science fiction, and philosophy of the search for extraterrestrial life."--Sarah Scoles, author of They Are Already Here

"Read First Contact and marvel at the sky, with its billions of possibilities for habitable worlds. Becky Ferrera's vivid narrative sweeps us along in a scientific adventure that spans time from the Neanderthals to alien icebreakers to the fascinating question of what it would mean to make contact and find life elsewhere in the universe."--Lisa Kaltenegger, Director of the Carl Sagan Institute and author of Alien Earths

"Science reporter Ferreira offers a survey of the past, present, and future of humans in space and what (or, more compellingly, who), if anything, is up there waiting to be found.... Throughout, Ferreira maintains a lighthearted tone, mixing hard science with sharply comedic asides. While the core of the book is firmly situated in science, a standout early chapter charts the various archetypes of aliens in pop culture, ranging from monsters to peers. The style choices, from use of graphics to pullout explainers to the pithy chapter lengths, make First Contact a book that begs for return visits. Budding ufologists and alien skeptics alike will find something that alters their previous perceptions, providing enlightenment for anyone interested in discerning what lies beyond the stars.
YA/S: Teens interested in learning more about the science of space and the possibility of extraterrestrial life will find this highly readable and formatted in a similar manner to their textbooks."
--Booklist

About the Author

Becky Ferreira is a science writer based in Ithaca, New York. She has bylines in The New York Times, Motherboard/VICE, WIRED, Popular Science, MIT Technology Review, and The Washington Post, among other publications. She has also appeared as an expert guest on the Science Channel and hosted the Motherboard video series "Space Show."