The search for extraterrestrial life is a funny thing in science. It’s like a private hobby, best not discussed at work with colleagues, nor with friends at parties. It’s OK now and again to illuminate the search for alien life, an interlude in the symphony of scientific work. And that’s just what we’re offering in this mini-issue of Nautilus.

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Space Colonization and the Meaning of Life
Colonizing the galaxy is the highest good humanity could achieve.
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The Surprising Importance of Stratospheric Life
The science of bacteria in the atmosphere is getting its moment in the sun.