I've been saying for a long time that I'm hoping to find intelligent life in Washington ... I'm reasonably sure there must be life in this solar system, on Mars or on Europa, and other places. I think life is probably going to be ubiquitous, though we still don't have any proof of that yet - and still less, any proof of intelligent life anywhere. But I hope that will be coming in the next decade or so through radio astronomy or, perhaps, the discovery of objects in space which are obviously artificial. Astronomical engineering - that may be the other thing to look for.

The danger of asteroid or comet impact is one of the best reasons for getting into space : I'm very fond of quoting my friend Larry Niven: 'The dinosaurs becam…

I don't pretend we have all the answers. But the questions are certainly worth thinking about..

We should be less concerned about adding years to life, and more about adding life to years. I have been very fortunate to have witnessed some of humanity's gr…

I'm sure the universe is full of intelligent life. It's just been too intelligent to come here.

Where are they?

The fact that we have not yet found the slightest evidence for life - much less intelligence - beyond this Earth does not surprise or disappoint me in the leas…