The strange truth behind our obsession with UFOs and aliens

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.