As director of the Carl Sagan Center for Research at the SETI Institute, astrobiologist Nathalie A. Cabrol focuses on answering the question of whether we are alone in the universe.

In The Secret Life of the Universe: An Astrobiologist’s Search for Life’s Origins and Limits, readers won’t get a definitive answer to that question, but they will come away with a new appreciation for the massive scientific endeavor that is moving ever closer to the discovery of life.

Cabrol writes that we are in the midst of a “golden age of astrobiology,” and her book is a powerful and vivid introduction to her field for the general public. This golden age is highlighted by images from the Webb Space Telescope that have transformed the public’s understanding of the universe.

From the moon to planets reminiscent of Star Wars locations, Cabrol takes readers on a vivid journey through the universe and to the building blocks of life that science is still trying to uncover.

Her writings and efforts to expand public awareness of the staggering vastness of the universe are, not surprisingly, reminiscent of Sagan, the renowned astronomer and namesake of the center she directs. And like Sagan, she makes a compelling case for why we may not be alone in the universe.

In addition, it offers a fascinating glimpse into future space missions that may help answer this question even further.

Most importantly, it illustrates how understanding the nature of life in the universe can help underscore the need to address the challenges facing the universe, which is currently a lonely pale blue dot.

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