Seth Shostak

Some people mistakenly confuse a long search with a thorough one, and figure that the lack of a SETI detection indicates that we’re alone in the Galaxy. This, however, is nonsense.

A sphere has less surface area than any other form of the same volume.

When talk turns to SETI, there’s one question that’s as common as catfish: "We’re not broadcasting to the aliens; so what makes you think they’ll be broadcasting to us?"

We can now list eight worlds (including Earth) in a nine-planet solar system that are possible places for life.

Many readers don't know that SETI research has been offered up in support of Intelligent Design. Let's take a minute to fix this, shall we?

A just-released Gallup poll notes that 37% of Americans believe that "houses can be haunted." Is this just harmless superstition? Or does it bode well for the use of reason?

Three dozen metal mushrooms have sprouted near the modest village of Hat Creek, and are turning their aluminum eyes skyward.

As I sat back to watch Peter Hyams’ new time travel film, "A Sound of Thunder" I expected an amazing experience. Two minutes later, I was gagging on my eight-dollar nachos.

This movie is about coming to grips with the immensity of space, and making it psychologically accessible.

If one is called upon to name the true pioneers of SETI, there are only three: Frank Drake, Giuseppe Cocconi, and Philip Morrison. Morrison died in his sleep on April 22, at the age of 89.

Orphan planets could be more numerous than stars! In our own galaxy alone, there would be hundreds of billions of these wandering worlds.

OK, everyone anticipated that Titan was going to be interesting, but few expected it to be weirder than Michael Jackson.

Forget about sending mathematical relationships, the value of pi, or musical arpeggios. Transmit the World Wide Web.

When it comes to intelligent life -- life that could invent science and technology -- the bookmakers hesitate. After all, the road to Homo sapiens was snaky.