Arevolutionisunderway.Forthefirsttimeinhumanhistory,weareatthecuspofexperiencingcontactwithnonhumanlife-formsofallkindsduetotechnologicalinnovationsandresearchintotheexperiencesofpeopleattheforefrontofthisdevelopment.InEncounters,authorD.W.Pasulkatakesreaderstotheforefrontofthisrevolution,sharingtheworkofexpertsacrossaspectrumoffieldswhoareworkingtoconnecthumanitywithunknownlife-forms.MostofushavevisionsofnonhumanencountersthatareshapedfarmorebyHollywoodthantheyareinformedbythecurrentresearch.Encountersrewritesourvisionsofnonhumanspeciesbyfeaturingtheworkandstoriesofcontemporaryinnovatorswhoarerethinkingourmostbasicassumptionsaboutlifeanditsmanifestationsbeyondourexperience.TheauthorofAmericanCosmic,D.W.PasulkaisaprofessorofreligionatUNC,Wilmington;herworkasascholarhasgivenherthetoolstosystematicallyexaminedatathatexceedsrationalcategories--exactlytheskillsetneededtoparsetheworldofUFOs,angels,AI,dreams,andotherdimensions,whichexistattheedgesofhumanunderstanding.Encountersisarivetingexplorationoftheleadingscienceofnonhumanlifeandaboldglimpseofthefutureofhumanityinauniversewherewearefarfromalone.
