FIRST CONTACT: Events & Updates
Welcome to the second installment of the BeX Files. Thank you to everyone who has signed up!
Lots of exciting news to share: First, a reminder that FIRST CONTACT: The Story of Obsession with Aliens is now available for preorder and will be out on September 30. If you happen to read it and like it, please consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads, or wherever! I would really appreciate it.
I have some fun ideas planned for the pub day (stay tuned!), but I’ve moved the official book launch and signing to 12pm ET on Saturday, October 4 at Barnes and Noble in Ithaca, New York. If you find yourself in the Finger Lakes region this fall, I hope you can make it.
In other news, I am so honored to be delivering a talk for Skeptical Inquirer Presents at 7pm ET on Thursday, September 4. The topic: Separating hope from hype in the search for extraterrestrial life. I don’t know exactly how to do that given that aliens are the ultimate hype magnet, but I’m looking forward to sharing some possible ideas. The event is free, but you need to register. Looking forward to contributing to this amazing series!
I’m attending a special screening of the 1997 film Contact at the Southampton Playhouse on Long Island on Monday, September 22 at 7:30pm, followed by a conversation about FIRST CONTACT and the search for alien life more broadly. This new non-profit movie theater has a line-up of amazing space movies to celebrate the re-release of Apollo 13 and I’m thrilled to participate in the event.
I’m also proud to announce that Booklist provided a great review for FIRST CONTACT in their August issue. Jeff Connelly writes:
The truth is out there. What that truth is, however, is ever-evolving. Science reporter Ferreira offers a survey of the past, present, and future of humans in space and what (or, more compellingly, who), if anything, is up there waiting to be found.
The expected touchstones are included, from Roswell to a rundown of the current planned space missions, complete with time lines of expected touchdowns on planets and moons that just might hold the key to life off-Earth. Throughout, Ferreira maintains a lighthearted tone, mixing hard science with sharply comedic asides.
While the core of the book is firmly situated in science, a standout early chapter charts the various archetypes of aliens in pop culture, ranging from monsters to peers. The style choices, from use of graphics to pullout explainers to the pithy chapter lengths, make First Contact a book that begs for return visits. Budding ufologists and alien skeptics alike will find something that alters their previous perceptions, providing enlightenment for anyone interested in discerning what lies beyond the stars.
Teens interested in learning more about the science of space and the possibility of extraterrestrial life will find this highly readable and formatted in a similar manner to their textbooks.
Last, I also wanted to share some new stories that came out this month:
“Why Trump’s “golden dome” missile defense idea is another ripped straight from the movies.” MIT Technology Review
A behemoth narrative feature on the Golden Dome for the September/October issue of Tech Review, which has the theme “Security.”
“The case against humans in space.” MIT Technology Review.
In another longread for the Sept/Oct issue, I wrote about a rash of recent books that argue against the near-term settlement of space by humans.
“Why the US Is Racing to Build a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon.” WIRED.
For WIRED, I broke down the rationale behind NASA’s new push to build a nuclear reactor on the lunar surface by 2030.
The Bizarre Tale of the Classic X-Files "I Want to Believe" Poster Supercluster.
For Supercluster, I covered the fascinating backstory of the “I Want to Believe” poster (or rather, posters!) from The X-Files.
I also contribute weekly science news and study roundups to 404 Media.
I’m looking forward to sharing some of the special subscriber-only alien stories I’ve been working on for the past few months later in September! In the meantime, drop me a line with any questions or comments at thebxfiles@gmail.com. Wishing you a happy end to summer!
