A young alien scientist joins forces with other archaeologists to uncover the secrets of a race that died out many years ago.

A group of alien archaeologists explores the Olduvai Gorge in Africa to learn about humanity, an extinct race. However, as they begin investigating artifacts, they discover that everything they knew about humans is entirely wrong.

In the far future, a female scientist must lead her team through time to uncover the explanation for a colony planet's sudden and complete demise, including that of her dead husband. Despite challenges made to her academic integrity and emotional wellbeing, she pursues both her mission and the shadow of her lifelove, hoping that one will lead to another. In a spaceship in the far future, a female scientist tries to understand the alien plague that wiped a whole colony planet, including her late husband and research partner. As she travels through the records of time, she also chases after the footsteps of her lifelove in hopes that they'll help solve her mystery and heal her grieving heart.

An old archaeologist studying the southwestern United States has a way of making spectacular finds. When he is about to be ousted from his university position by the younger generation, he decides to take his fate into his own hands and leave the physical world behind.

In the near future, a young mother leaves behind a book for her daughter before she embarks on her space journey to the outer solar system in an attempt to communicate with extraterrestrial creatures. Sections from her book are interspersed with her husband's verbal recollections of their love story, which he addresses to their young daughter.

Two assistants on a distant planet rebel against their captain, who is a naturalist, and plan to leave him stranded. The naturalist studies the local creatures and devises a plan to create a diversion, allowing him to regain the ship and control.

A Jesuit biologist and his team work to uncover the mysteries of a planet in the hope that it can be inhabitable for humans. But as he interacts with the native inhabitants, he realizes he has a decision to make: protect the planet or let those on Earth use it for their own selfish needs.

An archaeologist on a dig in Africa uncovers a shard that brings the dark magic of the Brotherhood of the Higher Ones to the present day.

A catalog of the tools different alien species use to read and write, leading to fundamental questions about what it means to make patterns of knowledge against the noise of the universe.

After discovering a mysterious alien artifact on the Moon, human astronauts endeavor to uncover its purpose and message from an extraterrestrial civilization.