On Oct. 25, the Linda Hall Library will open a free exhibition examining the scientific search for extraterrestrial life.
The exhibition, called “Life Beyond Earth?”, will include documents from as early as the 16th century. It will also include five in-person or virtual events featuring relevant experts, such as astronauts, scientific journalists, and former NASA historians.
The exhibition covers the field’s ongoing research and the implications of future discovery. Subjects include “the history of listening for interstellar communications, searching for exoplanets and Earth 2.0 and probing our solar system for alien life,” the library said in a statement.
“It also examines the modern UFO phenomena, from the 1947 crash in Roswell to recent government investigations of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena. Lastly, based on scientific research here on Earth, ‘Life Beyond Earth?’ imagines the strange life that could exist on other planets.”
The exhibition’s first event, set for Nov. 7, is a lecture by Steven J. Dick, the former chief historian at NASA. He’ll discuss astrobiology, or the study of life on Earth and beyond, and then “possible discovery scenarios” and the impacts they might have on society.
Subsequent events include “Life on Mars: A Cultural History” on Dec. 12, “From Sensationalism to Science” on Feb. 20, and “Extraterrestrials: Why They’re Almost Certainly Out There” on March 20.
Andrew Meiller, a spokesperson for the library, says guests should set aside 60-75 minutes for a visit.
The Linda Hall Library is an independent library on the University of Missouri–Kansas City campus. It focuses on science, engineering, and technology.