The community is invited to the University of Arizona campus this weekend for the opening of "Mysteries of the Cosmos: Life in the Universe," a new exhibit at the Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium that explores one of humanity's most enduring questions: Are we alone in the universe?

Open to the public beginning Saturday, May 2, the attraction not only celebrates the secrets of space exploration but the U of A research and scientists looking for intelligent life beyond Earth.

Flandrau staff began exploring that question after listening to a lecture delivered at the 2025 College of Science Lecture Series by Chris Impey, co-department head and distinguished professor of astronomy, and Daniel Apai, professor of astronomy and planetary sciences, both from the Department of Astronomy and Steward Observatory.

The theme of that year's lecture series was the science of communication. Apai and Impey discussed the possibility of communicating with extraterrestrial life: If aliens were out there, how would we start a conversation? Would they understand us? Should we even try?

"Contact with an alien civilization could be the greatest discovery and the most transformational event in human history," Apai said during the lecture, and the weight of that possibility guided Flandrau staff in developing the exhibit.

"We were inspired by their lecture because it touched on so many different areas of research that take place every day at the University of Arizona: astronomy and planetary science, chemistry and biology," said Bill Plant, exhibits director. "I think we've been asking that question around the campfire since we developed the ability to communicate with one another: What else is out there, and if we're not alone – what could we learn from them? I think it's one of those things that's ingrained into the fabric of human nature."

With roughly 1,000 square feet in which to capture millennia of human fascination and decades of research, Plant and his colleagues used the work of Apai, Impey and several other U of A researchers to develop the new exhibit.

An astronomical adventure

"Mysteries of the Cosmos" begins near "Wild World of Bugs" and welcomes visitors with floor-to-ceiling photography of Tucson's night sky above the iconic saguaro cactus, courtesy of local photographer Sean Parker. Considering Southern Arizona's place at the epicenter of astronomy, Plant said the art not only honors the Sonoran Desert but prepares guests for an astronomical adventure. 

Once inside, visitors are greeted with a quote by Steve Kortenkamp, professor of practice of planetary sciences, who introduces the vast size of the known universe:

"If you could ride on a beam of light, how far could you go? In just one second, you'd reach the Moon. In only a few minutes you could be at Mars. After about a day you'd still only be as far as Voyager 1, the spacecraft humanity launched in 1977. To reach the nearest stars would take over four years. And the light from the most distant galaxies we can see has been traveling toward us for 13.5 billion years. Light may be fast, but the universe is unimaginably big."

Journeying into the vast unknown of outer space begins with a rocket building activity. Designed like a video game with an arcade-style control panel, the interactive display challenges amateur rocketeers to choose components and chart a path to the moon, Mars or orbit the Earth.

After establishing the vast scale of outer space, and the challenges of rocketry, "Mysteries of the Cosmos" digs into the finer details of the search for extraterrestrial life and the vast amount of research required for such a task. That trek begins with understanding how stars drive the evolution of the universe, and ends with a halting question: If alien life does exist, should we even try contacting them?

Throughout that journey, the exhibit considers the influence of classical philosophers and U of A researchers alike, from discovering the first exoplanet to building giant mirrors for the world's most advanced telescopes.

"The University of Arizona is at the forefront of so many research endeavors, from the imaging of planets to capturing asteroids, and this exhibit gives you the chance to ponder some of the universe's biggest questions," Plant said.