Extraterrestrials in fiction
An extraterrestrial or alien is any extraterrestrial lifeform: a lifeform that did not originate on Earth. The word extraterrestrial means "outside Earth". The first published use of extraterrestrial as a noun occurred in 1956, during the Golden Age of Science Fiction.
Extraterrestrials in fiction
Grey aliens were conceived as a result of the Barney and Betty Hill incident.
Extraterrestrial life, alien life, or colloquially simply aliens is life which does not originate from Earth. No extraterrestrial life has yet been conclusively detected. Such life might range from simple forms such as prokaryotes to intelligent beings, possibly bringing forth civilizations that might be far more advanced than humanity. The Drake equation speculates about the existence of sapient life elsewhere in the universe. The science of extraterrestrial life is known as astrobiology.
Besides Earth, Mars, Europa and Enceladus are the most likely places in the Solar System to find life.
Lifeforms produce a variety of biosignatures that may be detectable by telescopes.
The Green Bank Telescope is one of the radio telescopes used by the Breakthrough Listen project to search for alien communications.
Artist's impression of Gliese 581 c, the first terrestrial extrasolar planet discovered within its star's habitable zone