Given the vastness of the universe, it is not difficult to imagine the possibility of life—even intelligent life—beyond Earth. Yet whether any extraterrestrial beings have ever made contact with us and if any evidence of this contact exists, remains widely debated. Evaluating tales of alien encounters and UFO sightings with a critical eye, this absorbing volume considers the possibility of extraterrestrial life by carefully separating scientific fact from fiction, hoaxes, and the unprovable. It also examines "ufology" and alien life in popular culture, surveying the books, movies, TV shows, and more inspired by the idea of intergalactic contact.