About the book: year / More than once on the pages of the magazine we have discussed problems associated with the search for extraterrestrial civilizations, attempts to make contact with them, hypotheses about traces , left on Earth by aliens from outer space. The name of the prominent Soviet astrophysicist, corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences I. S. Shklovsky, author of the famous book “Universe, Life, Mind,” which was repeatedly republished and translated into many languages, was often mentioned. The researcher’s contribution to the scientific formulation of the CETI problem—communications with extraterrestrial civilizations—is great. And now he comes out with an article (we are publishing it with abbreviations; the entire article entitled “On the possible uniqueness of intelligent life in the Universe” can be read in the journal “Problems of Philosophy” No. 9, 1976), where he proves that the connection with extraterrestrial civilizations is most likely impossible - because, apparently, there are no such civilizations at all. In this issue you got acquainted with the arguments of the scientist, in the next issue the Polish science fiction writer and philosopher Stanislaw Lem will make some counter-arguments in an article written for our magazine. I. S. Shklovsky’s answer to him will also be placed there..