About this episode

The episode explores the scientific questions surrounding the existence of extraterrestrial life and the implications of UFO sightings.

It doesn’t take much to ignite a new wave of alien conspiracy theories on social media. But beyond the internet speculation lies a serious scientific question: If billions of planets could support life, why haven’t we found any? Host Megan McArdle revisits her conversation with astrophysicist and author of “The Little Book of Aliens,” Adam Frank, to explore why he thinks extraterrestrial life probably exists — and why UFO sightings offer little evidence. They discuss how scientists are searching for alien life, why microbes may be far more common than intelligent civilizations and what extraterrestrials might look like if we ever find them. This episode was originally published on June 10, 2026. Subscribe to The Washington Post here .

People in this episode

Host: Megan McArdle

Guest: Adam Frank

Topics covered

• UFOs
• aliens
• extraterrestrial life
• scientific inquiry
• conspiracy theories

Keywords

• UFO
• aliens
• extraterrestrial life
• Adam Frank
• Megan McArdle
• conspiracy theories
• scientific search

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Little Book of Aliens

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