Alien first-contact stories are a classic of science fiction, and they’re all the more fascinating because they can feel like predictions of a possible future. This is the book that made me fall in ...

Steven Spielberg's Disclosure Day is the latest movie to tackle the subject of first contact, but these masterpieces understood the idea much better.

Popularized by H.G. Wells' novel, The War of the Worlds, a common trope in science fiction is, of course, the moment of first contact between humans and intelligent extraterrestrial life. The concept ...

Project Hail Mary, Solaris, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy are all among the very best sci-fi books set in space.

Scientists updated first contact protocols for 2026, requiring multiple verification steps and UN consultation before announcing alien discoveries or sending replies.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. For as long as humans have ...

With 'Disclosure Day,' the director returns to a longtime preoccupation. Two Times staffers explore his ongoing fascination with extraterrestrials.