Two new books ask: What would you do if you encountered alien life?

Extraterrestrial encounters serve as a lens for examining human relationships and scientific reality. In Steven Rowley’s novel *Take Me With You*, an alien abduction forces a man to reevaluate his long-term marriage, highlighting how commitment requires a daily, conscious decision to stay rather than a static vow. Conversely, Neil deGrasse Tyson’s *Take Me to Your Leader* critiques the human tendency to project ego onto the universe, noting that aliens would likely lack humanoid features or shared DNA. Tyson argues that science and mathematics represent the only universal languages for potential communication. Furthermore, he posits that if advanced civilizations were to visit, humans might be treated as pets, a scenario he suggests could be favorable given our own track record of prioritizing animal companions over fellow humans in need.