Named a Best Book of 2024 by the New Yorker

“Astonishing . . . Cabrol [is] an assured and accessible guide.” —The New Yorker

“An authoritative book on the hunt for life's origins – and ET . . . Her book is full of such wonders. Cabrol clearly communicates big ideas and condenses decades of exploration and research into fast-paced chapters.” —New Scientist

“Cabrol writes that we’re in the midst of a ‘golden age of astrobiology,’ and her book is an awe-inspiring and lucid primer… She also offers a fascinating preview of future space missions that may help answer that question even further.” —Associated Press

“The Secret Life of the Universe is an enthralling read, introducing an exciting and quickly accelerating field. It’s sure to captivate readers from start to finish.” —BBC Sky at Night

“This stimulating survey…details how [Cabrol] and other scientists search the cosmos for extraterrestrial life… Cabrol has a talent for making technical research accessible for general readers and serves up a bounty of fascinating trivia… Amateur astronomers will be spellbound.” —Publishers Weekly

“Some people are in the enviable position of loving their work. Cabrol is one of them, and it shows in this wonderfully sweeping book… This is a book for anyone with an interest in scientific discovery and a perfect choice for any budding astronomer or astrobiologist. Combining enthusiasm and knowledge, Cabrol gives a lovely guided tour of the possibilities of the cosmos.” —Kirkus, starred review

“Read Cabrol if you want a vivid, fiercely intelligent tour of what may turn out to be our teeming, life-filled solar system.” —Daily Telegraph

“Nathalie Cabrol is an ideal guide . . . her book becomes truly dizzying in the prospects it opens up. “ —Daily Mail

“A highly informative survey of the current state of astrobiology.” —Literary Review

“A highly readable, entertaining and mind-expanding read from a formidable scientist.” —iNews

“In this cutting-edge, wide-ranging survey of a truly extraordinary subject, the celebrated scientist Nathalie Cabrol takes us on an odyssey full of astonishing possibility, crossing vast distances and many scales to tell the story of our search for extraterrestrial life. The Secret Life of the Universe weaves together the history of space exploration, planetary science, the changing technological and intellectual frameworks of SETI, and deliberations on the very nature and meaning of life. It’s a mind-altering and exhilarating read for anyone who has ever wondered: are we alone?"—Helen Macdonald, author of H is for Hawk

“The Secret Life of the Universe delivers on the grand promise of its title. Intimate and cosmic, it is the passionate traveler’s tale of a distinguished scientist approaching the most fascinating questions of all.” —Ann Druyan, writer, producer, and director of “Cosmos”

“Of all the popular books on the search for life that are now being published, this one is quite special. Written by an outstanding astrobiologist, Dr. Nathalie Cabrol, The Secret Life of the Universe takes you step by step through each of the top candidates in the solar system and beyond into the Milky Way where life could exist, and how we are looking for it. Nathalie tackles advanced concepts and explains them with ease. I highly recommend this book!” —James L. Green, former NASA chief scientist

“In The Secret Life of the Universe, astrobiologist Nathalie Cabrol takes us on a sweeping exploration of life on Earth and the potential of the universe to harbor life beyond our planet. Drawing on the latest space missions and ground-based studies, she paints a picture of habitability over time perhaps reaching from the inner edge of our solar system to its outermost depths and from its earliest days to the present. Beyond our solar system, she charts the potential for habitability and even civilizations on countless exoplanets orbiting stars similar to and different from our sun. The nature of life as well as the practical and ethical dilemmas we face as a technological space-faring society are also part of the journey we take with her through the pages of this stimulating and provocative book.” —Carl B. Pilcher, Former Director of NASA's Astrobiology Institute