Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: The historical and philosophical perspectives

The magical vision of the non-human

Ancient philosophy

Medieval philosophy

The Renaissance

The birth of modern science

First attempts at contact

Cosmism

From enthusiasm to disenchantment

Chapter 2: The religious perspective

Extraterrestrial life is a threat to religion?

A finite universe and an infinite God

Hinduism, Buddhism and other oriental religions

Judaism

Islam

Christianity

The problem of original sin

The problem of redemption

Bio-cosmic theology

Chapter 3: The astrobiological perspective

A new science: astrobiology

Times of the universe

The anthropic principle

Chemical evolution

The formation of the solar system

The formation of extra-solar planets

The birth of life on Earth

Panspermia

Evolution and creationism

Towards a great complexity

Catastrophes and mass extinctions

Conditions needed for the development of life

Life on Mars

Life in the solar system

The search for life outside the solar system

Chapter 4 The search for extraterrestrial intelligence

Intelligence and consciousness

Consciousness

The development of intelligence on Earth

From intelligence to technology

Evolution beyond humans

The expansion of intelligent life

The search for intelligent signals

The Rio scale

The problem of the answer

The San Marino scale

Which message?

Extraterrestrial, how?

Legal rules for relationships between intelligent species

Interstellar predators

Encyclopedia Galactica and Galactic Internet

The zoo hypothesis

Interlude: The search for extraterrestrial stupidity

Chapter 5: The possibility of contact

The Fermi paradox

Unidentified flying objects (UFOs)

Historical traces of past encounters

Alien probes in the solar system

Planetary archaeology

Interstellar probes

The space imperative and human expansion in space

Hostile contact

Faster than light (FTL) interstellar journeys

Epilogue

Appendix A: Extrasolar planets (situation at December 23, 2005)

Appendix B: Survey of the radioastronomic SETI research projects active at the time of writing or recently ended

Appendix C: Declaration of principles concerning the activities following the detection of extraterrestrial intelligence

Books on astrobiology and alien intelligence … are beginning to multiply rapidly. … Genta (mechanics, Politecnico di Torino, Italy) brings in a different dimension by adding the religious and philosophical aspects of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence in an excellent treatment that covers both sides of each issue. … He also offers a very interesting discussion on how biology and morphology relate to the possible evolution of intelligence. … For anyone interested in the search for extraterrestrial intelligences. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels.

P. R. Douville, CHOICE, Vol. 45 (7), 2008

It has been a pleasure to read … this beautifully written book which begins with two brief but fascinating chapters on ‘The Historical and Philosophical Perspectives’ and ‘The Religious Perspective’ of extraterrestrial intelligence. … This highly intelligent and beautifully written book is highly recommended to all readers … ."

Fernande Grandjean and Gary J. Long, Physicalia Magazine, Vol. 30 (4), 2008

It first gives an account of our current scientific understanding of the origins of the Universe, Galaxy, Solar System, planets, Earth, Moon, and life on Earth. … It is a solemn, scholarly, and intensively serious book, carefully and very well-written in English. … Every reader, even those who are not especially enthused by the prospect of extraterrestrials, is likely to appreciate this splendid portrait of humankind’s cosmic origins and of how we fit into the grand scheme of existence.

Peter V. E. McClintock, Contemporary Physics, Vol. 50 (3), May-June, 2009