Is there life beyond Earth?
Caleb Scharf works in the fields of exoplanetary science and astrobiology, and writes extensively about science for a popular audience. Exoplanetary science is devoted to the discovery and characterization of planets around other stars, and understanding the formation, histories, and properties of these planets. One ultimate goal of this research is to find planets that could harbor recognizable life, and to detect the presence of that life—an effort that falls under the banner of astrobiology.
New Book
The Giant Leap: Why Space Is the Next Frontier in the Evolution of Life
On Sale: October 21, 2025
Caleb “demonstrates how becoming a true space-faring species is more than just humanity’s future,” says Adam Frank, author of The Little Book of Aliens—it is an evolutionary event at least as important as life’s first journey from sea to land.
Featured Items
Is Physical Law an Alien Intelligence?
Alien life could be so advanced it becomes indistinguishable from physics.
- Nautilus
Where Do Minds Belong?
Intelligence could have been moving back and forth between biological beings and machine receptacles for aeons.
– Aeon
Life Beyond the Pale Blue Dot
Our own oasis of life in the cosmos is blue, but will others be?
– Nautilus
A Universe Full of Planets
The phrase “scientific revolution” tends to get overused. But there is one happening right now that could arguably alter the entire trajectory of human existence.
– The New York Times
