Astrobiologist, planetary scientist, and general expert on everything alien, Kevin Peter Hand is out to change the way we think about life on other planets. No, we’re not talking about big-eyed, grey-skinned men from Mars, but what we are talking about is the infinite possibilities for life outside of our safe, blue sphere.

“Astrobiology is the study of life in the universe. People assume that this is the search for life beyond earth, which is correct, that’s certainly part of astrobiology, but what’s also central to the study of astrobiology is study of the origin, evolution, and future of life on earth. Where did we come from? Where are we going? How did life originate?” asks Hand. “When you think about the living universe, right now, all we know of is life on Earth. We have yet to find even a speck of life beyond Earth.”