Extraterrestrial

The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth

By: Avi Loeb

Narrated by: Robert Petkoff

Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times Bestseller | Wall Street Journal Bestseller | Publishers Weekly Bestseller | Publishers Marketplace 2020 Buzz Book | Amazon Best Book of the Year | Longlisted for the 2022 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award

“Provocative and thrilling ... Loeb asks us to think big and to expect the unexpected.”—Alan Lightman, New York Times bestselling author of Einstein’s Dreams and Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine

Harvard’s top astronomer lays out his controversial theory that our solar system was recently visited by advanced alien technology from a distant star.

In late 2017, scientists at a Hawaiian observatory glimpsed an object soaring through our inner solar system, moving so quickly that it could only have come from another star. Avi Loeb, Harvard’s top astronomer, showed it was not an asteroid; it was moving too fast along a strange orbit, and left no trail of gas or debris in its wake. There was only one conceivable explanation: the object was a piece of advanced technology created by a distant alien civilization.

In Extraterrestrial, Loeb takes listeners inside the thrilling story of the first interstellar visitor to be spotted in our solar system. He outlines his controversial theory and its profound implications: for science, for religion, and for the future of our species and our planet. A mind-bending journey through the furthest reaches of science, space-time, and the human imagination, Extraterrestrial challenges listeners to aim for the stars—and to think critically about what’s out there, no matter how strange it seems.

©2021 Avi Loeb (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

Loved it!

An easy essay for those with even the most casual interest in science and astronomy.

1 part science, 1 part philosophy with a dash of dreams. Avi lays out not only the possibility of object "1I/2017 U1" aka "Omuamua" being of extraterrestrial origin, but also the dangers and pitfalls of science dismissing it as "not exceptional" beyond having traveled from outside our solar system. He deliberates, at some length how, if the scientific community would dare to look beyond common, accepted answers, new and exciting discoveries could lay within our reach.

scientific priesthood as bad as religion

Loeb's book shows the narrow minded arrogance of Quackademeia and how paradigm changes based on evidence have become the new heresy. Science ( by that they mean scientists) should be viewed by the ignorant masses as infallible and all their opinions and beliefs gospel.

Interesting line of thought

Even though the main theory of this book has recently been debunked, it’s still amusing to follow his thinking and exploration methods. Couldn’t stop listening!

Very informative and thought provoking

So glad I listened to this book. There is always so much chatter about Omuamua that it’s hard to sort out good information. It really changed my perspective.

Chapter 9 made my head explode

I stopped at the aforementioned chapter to write this review.
One-two combo science and philosophy will knock you into seing the long view of the universe and humanity's place in it.
It is my fondest wish that the determination and hopefulnes of the ideas in this book go viral and stay with us for generations to come, not a good analogy I know, much like some in the book.

If you like Carl Sagan you will love Avi Loeb.
I say yes to looking for alien space junk, yes to a space renaissance lets do it!

Who's Out There?

Professor Loeb has a incredible imagination. I enjoyed this book and the narration by Robert Petkoff who puts just the right amount of expression to keep you well engaged from the start to the end. Avi presents his case based on some very serious data that he and others collected during the very short presence of this unknown visitor. Is it about aliens, well maybe, or maybe just a very fortunate coincidence that past our planet. For the first time in recorded history an object, still unknow has crossed Earth's path from outside our local solar system. Could it be a message from a superior race, or just a large rock without any intelligent force behind it. Either way, this is a fun book to listen to, You must keep an open mind and follow the science behind extraterrestrial.

Thought provoking

Its a book that will have you thinking about possibilities. I have done a great deal of research along side listening to this production and finding myself appreciating Avi Loeb in many ways. I believe scientist should take more risk and hope Avi continues to be an example for them.

Definitely helped clear things up some what ?

Really helped me to clear some reoccuring thoughts I had confused and mixed me all kinds of crazy lol

Un buen libro

Deberían de haber más libros como este en donde un científico está planteando una hipótesis basado en argumentos razonables y evidencia parcial de que algo extraño está ocurriendo en el espacio con este elemento que los astrónomos no están seguros de lo que es.
Avi Loeb da un gran ejemplo al arriesgar su puesto como el director del departamento de astronomía de Harvard por una hipótesis que es muy audaz poco convencional sin embargo que cuenta con
suficiente evidencia como para plantearla.
Nos dice cómo debe de actuar la ciencia en vez de buscar premios buscar la verdad. y le da una paliza a los científicos del mainstream.

mindblowing

so much to explore, så little time and resorceses.
this book i a must listen, if your adhere to the siencetific method.
brilliant, the hope fore humanity lives, while people like avi loeb still breaths.