Creative Tools for Imagining Life Beyond Earth
Imagine Aliens combines scientific knowledge with artistic experimentation to explore the possibilities of extraterrestrial life.
A growing collection of creative tools invites participants to investigate unfamiliar planetary environments, invent extraordinary organisms, and discover new connections between art and science.
Imagine Aliens: Interactive Cards
Explore an alien world. Invent a life form. Follow your imagination.
What might life look like on a planet with extreme temperatures, unusual gravity, or no sunlight at all?
The Imagine Aliens interactive activity combines scientifically inspired World and Life Cards to generate unexpected creative prompts. Discover an unfamiliar planetary environment, explore a biological characteristic, and imagine an organism adapted to its world.
Resources for Educators
Imagine Aliens offers a research-informed approach to integrating astronomy, astrobiology, visual art, and creative inquiry.
A selection of printable Imagine Aliens cards, developed for public workshops at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, is available to educators upon request.
The cards combine scientific descriptions with open-ended creative prompts, encouraging participants to imagine organisms adapted to unfamiliar planetary environments. They can be used in classrooms, interdisciplinary projects, and informal learning settings.
Educators interested in using these materials are invited to get in touch. Please include your name, school or institution, and a brief description of how you plan to use the cards.
In Development
Printed editions of the Imagine Aliens cards and accompanying creative tools, including stencils for constructing imaginary life forms, are currently in development.
Designed for classrooms, museums, and creative workshops, these resources will offer new ways to explore the relationship between scientific knowledge and artistic imagination.
Further information will be announced as the materials become available.