This book is for the thoughtful reader who is interested in knowing more about our place in the Universe and how we can start to play a part in our own evolution. Now that it is clear that there are many millions of habitable planets in our galaxy, we have to accept the implications that go along with the fact that we are very far from alone. It is also clear that if we are at all unique, it is only that we are the "new kids on the block," because our rise to sentience took place such a short time ago in cosmic terms. Since the first stars in the Milky Way formed a number of billions of years...