Preface:

Our Milky Way Galaxy consists of hundreds of billions of stars and practically every star we look at has one or more planets orbiting around it. Many have wondered since the ancient times whether we are actually alone or whether there are other advanced life forms not too far away in our solar neighborhood. We do not yet know the answer for sure, but it may not be so long until we make first contact with intelligent life many light years from Earth. This seminar will focus on many aspects of ex-tra-solar planet research and the possibility of life on those planets. We will discuss the astronomy of how planets are found; the physics of their planetary systems; the biology and chemistry of what makes life, and even intelligent life, possible; and we will speculate about what social and political structures might exist on other planets. This seminar will be both fascinating and useful to teachers of physical science and physics, chemistry, biology, and general science.