Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda Adam Frank: Are there aliens out there? Probably. But UFOs – not so much
Feb 24, 2026
Adam Frank, astrophysicist and author who studies astrobiology, explores whether life is common in the cosmos. He traces past Mars and UFO fever, explains three revolutions reshaping life studies, and lays out modern searches for technosignatures like industrial gases and city lights. He weighs the challenges of communicating with alien minds and separates scientific expectations from UFO publicity.
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Three Revolutions That Made Astrobiology Practical
- Three astrobiology revolutions changed our view: exoplanet discoveries, solar system exploration, and deep understanding of Earth's history.
- Frank says these revolutions show planets are common and life reshapes planetary evolution, enabling better searches for life.
How SETI Began At Green Bank
- Frank recounts Frank Drake's 1958 Green Bank experiment as the first scientific SETI attempt.
- Drake used a new radio telescope to monitor two sunlike stars for six months looking for non-natural signals and found none.
Why Techno Signatures Replace Old SETI Assumptions
- Modern technosignature searches broaden SETI beyond intentional beacons to passive detection of civilization artifacts.
- Frank emphasizes removing anthropocentric biases and building a library of observable technosignatures.
