Introduction
HELLO? IS ANYONE OUT THERE?
Oh, hi! I didn’t see you there. Actually, I did, but I was waiting for you to say hello. Now that we’ve made contact, I have a very important transmission for you. It’s a question, actually: Want to go on an adventure? We’re traveling to the stars! Here’s your space suit, your guidebook, and plenty of snacks for the journey. Sit tight—we’re going extraterrestrial!
HANG ON, YOU’RE . . . WHO, EXACTLY?
Allow me to introduce myself. I am your 100 percent human, totally-not-an-alien guide to the mysteries and wonders of the supernatural, paranormal, and extraterrestrial. In this book, we’re blasting off to the cosmos! You guessed it—we’ll be gathering data on aliens. Together, you and I will rocket through science, discover spacefaring history, meet up with fictional alien friends, and more!
Dig Out the Dictionary!
According to our lexical friend Merriam-Webster, an alien is defined as a being who “[comes] from another world.” And what does extraterrestrial mean? Let’s break the word down! When you’re using extra by itself, it means “more” or “bonus.” Extra as a prefix means “outside,” and
terra means “land” or “Planet Earth.” Put them together, and
extraterrestrial refers to something or someone “originating, existing, or occurring outside the earth or its atmosphere.”
WHOA. ALIENS?!
I bet you’re wondering, “Wait, are there
really aliens out there? Can they see me right now? Do they know I’m wearing two different socks?” The best answer I can give you is . . . a big shrug. Who knows? (Also, I wouldn’t worry about the socks too much. I’m wearing two different ones, too. That’s fashion, baby!)
The topic of aliens is a gigantic question mark. Scientists haven’t discovered evidence of life on other planets, but that doesn’t mean they’re ruling it out altogether. What we know about space and the possibility of life on other planets is constantly changing. In fact, science itself is constantly changing. (Fun fact: scientists are still discovering new chemical elements!) In the meantime, it doesn’t hurt to ask ourselves a few questions: What would you do if you met someone from another planet? How do you treat those who are different from you? What do you think the future will look like—for you and for Planet Earth? And is astronaut ice cream actually any good?
How do we find the answers to our questions? We research! We’re on a fact-finding mission here and our topic is everything extraterrestrial. In this guide, we’ll uncover the stories behind infamous alien sightings, such as the Roswell incident of 1947, and places like Area 51. We’ll dig in to what happens if humans make first contact with aliens. And we’ll plug in to the world of science fiction and alien movies. Last, but certainly not least, we’re going to figure out why exactly aliens are so important—whether they’re out there in space or hanging out in the sci-fi section of the library.
So that’s our mission brief. Now that you’re ready, prepare for takeoff!
Copyright © 2024 by Insha Fitzpatrick. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
