Do aliens exist? I asked an astrophysicist.

Do aliens exist? I asked an astrophysicist.

From Reasonably Optimistic by The Washington Post

June 10, 2026 · 37 min

About this episode

Megan McArdle discusses the complexities of the search for alien life with astrophysicist Adam Frank.

Are humans alone in the universe? The answer is more complicated than science fiction might suggest. Scientists have discovered billions upon billions of potentially habitable planets. But if life is possible elsewhere, why haven’t we found it? Host Megan McArdle talks with astrophysicist Adam Frank, author of “ The Little Book of Aliens .” They discuss the search for alien life, why intelligent civilizations may be harder to find than microbes and the limits of what UFOs can reveal. Subscribe to The Washington Post here .

People in this episode

Host: Megan McArdle

Guest: Adam Frank

Topics covered

  • alien life
  • astrophysics
  • UFOs
  • habitable planets
  • intelligent civilizations

Keywords

  • aliens
  • astrophysicist
  • search for life
  • UFOs
  • habitable planets
  • intelligent civilizations

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Little Book of Aliens

More episodes of Reasonably Optimistic

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Reasonably Optimistic podcast page.