Is there anyone in the room?
It’s a question we’ve all wondered. Given all the advances in space telescopes, robotic missions to other planets, and even the wild headlines about UFOs and possible alien visitations these days, the question may seem more urgent than ever. And for children, the question can feel scary, fascinating, and everything in between, given the sensationalism surrounding the subject.
To help separate fact from fiction, author and podcast host Laura Krantz has written “Is There Anybody Out There?: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life, from Amoebas to Aliens,” a new book from Abrams Books for Young Readers coming out October 1. January 3, 2023. The book takes a rational look at the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, the passing of the interstellar object ‘Oumuamua and even well-known examples of UFO stories such as the crash of a flying saucer or a secret American military balloon outside in July 1947 .Roswell, New Mexico,
Space.com spoke with Krantz to find out more about the book, her take on the UFO buzz these days and even some tips on how to talk to kids about aliens.
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Space.com: First of all I have to say that this is a beautifully illustrated book.
Laura Krantz: I just love it. I like the colours. I like this kind of blocky illustration style. I just think it turned out very, very well. [Illustrator Rafael Nobre] also has a good sense of humor. Like he can incorporate some of the funnier things into great shots. Like there’s a scene where an alien is trying to cook life, I just love that.
Space.com: What inspired the book?
Krantz: The book is actually a spin-off of the book Wild Thing podcast. When I started the podcast, I wasn’t thinking about kids at all, I was thinking about adults. And I started getting letters from parents listening with their kids, teachers using elements of the podcast in their classrooms to talk about, like: evolution, DNA evidence and the scientific method. And I started talking to my agent, and she suggested that I do a nonfiction book for the middle grades, because that’s really an area where teachers love these kinds of information and resources for kids.
But it’s interesting to write things like this. Because when you do it for an adult audience, you assume that they know what DNA is, that they know what evolution is. They know what all these terms mean, at least somewhat indirectly. But when you write for kids you think, ‘Crap, I need to understand what this actually is and be able to explain it in plain language!’ So it was like getting a crash course in science education.
Space.com: Why do you think it is important for young people to read this book?
Krantz: I think that’s one of the most important things [the question of alien life] is a bit firmly in the gray area. There is no answer to the question, “Is anyone there?” Just like there is no answer to the Bigfoot question. It’s like this is an area to explore. This is an area for thinking about things scientifically, wondering and hypothesizing. Guess what? We don’t have a definitive answer.
And in some ways it’s like teaching kids to get comfortable with the idea that there’s no answer, because I think we’re in a society now where things are quite black and white, good or bad, good or wrong, one way or the other. the other side. And with this you just have to say, ‘There could be aliens; I see both sides of this argument.” I can see all kinds of different ways this could go. And I’m still not sure. And I think that’s valuable.
And then I also think it is useful to help. It’s helpful for kids to see how science works, that science has such a long timeline, that the work that was done in space science in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, many of those scientists aren’t there or will not appear. be around to see where the kind of seeds they planted end up. And I think it’s kind of important for kids to understand: that science is constantly building on itself and revising and resubmitting itself, trying to figure this out as best we can using the evidence at the time. I think these are two very valuable things.
And then the space is cool too.
Space.com: I read your introduction as if you weren’t familiar with the UFO topic before starting this, right?
Krantz: What really caught my attention in the first place was the ‘Oumuamua story, which I just found fascinating. I mean, we suspected that things were coming in from outside our solar system. But we couldn’t say that with certainty yet. And this is the first moment where we thought, ‘This thing is coming from very far away.’ And I think that’s pretty cool to think about. For example, right now we realize how big the universe is and what kinds of things travel through it.
And also seeing pictures coming out of the James Webb Space Telescope. And admittedly, that was after this project was mostly done. But it’s hard not to look at those photos and have your jaw drop, you know, at how incredibly beautiful and yet hauntingly amazing they are. Many of those photos make you feel very small and insignificant, which, I think, is a good reminder of our place. And in the grand scheme of things.
Space.com: What do you think of the current UFO buzz in the US government?
Krantz: I watched as, like crazy, everyone went through the AATIP program [an alleged U.S. Department of Defense UFO study program]. And when the announcement came out about this, people lost their marbles; the headlines about it were just constant. And so that’s when I thought, ‘There’s something to be done about this’ and I looked into it with interest and pulled these discussions forward where it’s clear that this is a question that people are thinking about a lot. even if it’s not something we talk about every day.
I think this is a perfect opportunity to apply some rational thinking. For example, the whistleblower who testified before Congress said people told him they had recovered bodies, but he had not seen them himself. So that’s the first red flag for me. It’s like, if you’re the whistleblower, you must have seen some things, you can’t just rely on hearsay. Generally that’s not allowed in court, from what I understand of legal proceedings. So I think that has to be a rational thing. And also in science, and in scientific research.
I have no doubt that there are strange things in the sky and that pilots see things. I do think that requires a recording process that has no stigma attached to it.
Related: UFOs and UAP: History, Sightings and Mysteries
Space.com: What do you hope children take away from the book?
Krantz: That sense of wonder is a huge asset. I think it’s so valuable. And I think we’ve taken the wonder out of people as they grow up. It’s like there are boxes, you have to check in on the things you need to do and the wonder slips by the wayside. But wonder is so important because it helps you discover how your world works. And it encourages you to think about things from different perspectives. And scientifically speaking, like the first step of the scientific method, it’s about wonder. Ask a question; what do you wonder? And I think that’s very valuable for children.
And I also think it’s valuable for adults to wonder about the world around you, to wonder what life is like for other people, to just have this curiosity and questions and maybe continue to questioning your own thoughts about things and beliefs. And you know, it goes beyond science. I think wonder is a skill that we sometimes lose as we get older.
“Is Anyone There?: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life, from Amoebas to Aliens,” is currently available for pre-order and will be released on October 3, 2023.
