If aliens really are out there, interacting with them is going to be difficult. It’s not that they’ll just speak a different language – it’s more that the very building blocks of communication ...

Imagine this scenario: Scientists have intercepted a transmission from an alien race. It's clear that the message comes from an intelligent being, but everything about it — the syntax, the grammar, ...

For decades, scientists have tried to turn the question of alien life from late-night speculation into something you can actually write down on a whiteboard. The core idea behind “proving” aliens with ...

Katie has a PhD in maths, specializing in the intersection of dynamical systems and number theory. She reports on topics from maths and history to society and animals. Katie has a PhD in maths, ...