Pre-order Releases Nov 17, 2026
Do Aliens Speak Physics?: And Other Questions about Science and the Nature of Reality
by Daniel Whiteson and Andy Warner
From $13.67 / copy at 25+ copies; lower per-copy prices at higher quantities (see Volume pricing) As low as $11.01 at 1,000+
Volume pricing Applied automatically in your cart
About the book
Do Aliens Speak Physics?
When the long-awaited day dawns and the aliens finally arrive on Earth, they might eat us and destroy the planet—or, just maybe, they might share the secrets of the Universe with us. When that time comes, will we be able to cross the communication barrier to beg for our lives? If the aliens do hold out those precious jewels of knowledge, will we even be able to grasp them?
It’s long been assumed, in both science fiction and real scientific efforts to communicate with hypothetical aliens, that math and physics could serve as a universal language connecting us with extraterrestrial minds. But as humanity draws ever closer to the possibility of an interplanetary future and expands its agelong search for alien life and intelligence, beloved author and physicist Daniel Whiteson and best-selling cartoonist Andy Warner wonder if we should be so sure. In Do Aliens Speak Physics?, they take readers on a wild adventure to the edges of space-time, science, and the imagination to investigate whether an alien–human mind meld could ever be achieved.
Deploying cutting-edge physics, deep philosophical insight, and plenty of cartoons, Whiteson and Warner explode what we thought we knew about talking to our cosmic neighbors—and even science itself—by asking and answering questions both lighthearted and profound. Would aliens even need science to build the technology that brings them to Earth? Is it possible that they could experience the Universe very differently from us—tasting electrons and smelling photons? Would the extraterrestrials have to perceive “electrons” and “photons” at all, or are these particles only convenient concepts for our human minds? At bottom, does physics reveal fundamental truths about the Universe, as we so often believe, or might it in fact tell us more about ourselves?
As ultimately mind-altering as it is hilarious, Do Aliens Speak Physics? will leave you with a view of the Universe—and humanity—that’s stranger and more marvelous than before.
What readers are saying
Details
- Publisher
- W. W. Norton & Company
- Authors
- Daniel Whiteson, Andy Warner
- Format
- Paperback
- Release date
- Nov 17, 2026
- ISBN-13
- 9781324134312
- ISBN-10
- 1324134313
- Pages
- 272
- Carton quantity
- 36 copies
Who it's for
Made for classrooms and campuses
Pre-order copies for everyone on your list, and they ship on release.
- Course adoption A copy for every student in the class or section. Get a quote
- Faculty and staff studies Shared reading for professional development. Get a quote
- Orientation and common reads First-year programs and campus events. Get a quote
- Libraries Copies for every branch, on one order. Get a quote
Before release day
Need them before Nov 17?
Books ship on release and usually arrive around the release date. Early delivery is common, and we arrange it often. It needs the publisher’s OK, so tell us why you need them early and we’ll make the request for you.
- Tell us the date and the reasonA class unit, an event, a program launch: one line is enough.
- We ask the publisherWe make the request on your behalf. It’s a routine part of what we do.
- We confirm with youYour specialist confirms the date by email before anything ships.
Other times a quote is the better path
- Several addressesOne order split across schools, branches, classrooms or homes.
- Signings and eventsTell us the venue and the date, and we’ll plan the delivery around it.
- Custom touchesBookplates, belly bands, gift notes or packaging for your copies.
- Purchase ordersSchools, libraries and agencies can pay by PO.
Do Aliens Speak Physics? for groups: pricing
Volume pricing applies automatically in your cart. No codes, no account needed.
| Copies | Price per copy | You save |
|---|---|---|
| 25 – 99 | $13.67 | 28% off list |
| 100 – 249 | $12.15 | 36% off list |
| 250 – 499 | $11.77 | 38% off list |
| 500 – 999 | $11.39 | 40% off list |
| 1,000+ | $11.01 | 42% off list |
Where can I buy 100 copies of Do Aliens Speak Physics??
BookPal sells Do Aliens Speak Physics? in quantity. At 100 copies the price is $12.15 a copy, against a list price of $18.99, and the cart applies the volume tier automatically. Free shipping on most orders over $95 in the contiguous US. A specialist can quote a larger or mixed order.
- New books only, straight from the publisher
- Volume prices apply automatically in the cart, with no code needed
- Order at least 10 business days before you need the books (11 from mid-November through December)
What does Do Aliens Speak Physics? cost when I buy for a group?
Volume pricing applies automatically in your cart, with no code needed. Price per copy: 25 to 99 copies, $13.67 (28% off list); 100 to 249 copies, $12.15 (36% off list); 250 to 499 copies, $11.77 (38% off list); 500 to 999 copies, $11.39 (40% off list); 1,000+ copies, $11.01 (42% off list). Need a different quantity, or a quote to forward for approval? Ask a specialist and we will confirm pricing before you pay.
How fast can I get copies of Do Aliens Speak Physics??
This title is not released yet. Pre-orders ship when it is, currently scheduled for November 17, 2026. Need them by a specific date? Request a quote and we'll confirm timing before you pay.
Can you ship to several locations or people's homes?
Yes. We ship group orders to one address, to multiple sites, or to individual recipients, in the US and internationally. See fulfillment options.
Can I get a formal quote for approval before ordering?
Yes. Request a quote and we'll send a PDF you can forward for approval.
Do you accept purchase orders and tax-exempt orders?
Yes. We accept purchase orders upon approval, as well as cards, PayPal, ACH, wire transfers and checks. BookPal is a tax-exempt supplier in all 50 states. See purchase orders and sales tax exemption.
What if I find a lower price?
Send us the link. We match prices from other booksellers and distributors on a new copy in the same edition, available to ship in the quantity you need. Clearance sales and pricing errors are the exception, and we'll tell you quickly if that's the case. Start a price match.
Built for school and campus orders
PDF quotes, purchase orders, tax exemption and multi-site delivery, handled by one account manager.
PDF quotes, purchase orders, tax exemption and help with vendor setup.
For schools Make it yoursBranded cover stickers on paperbacks from 100 copies, plus bookplates, inserts and belly bands. Your specialist confirms what fits your title.
Customization options Ship to every readerOne address, many sites or individual recipients' homes, in the US and abroad.
Fulfillment optionsWrite a Review
Do Aliens Speak Physics?: And Other Questions about Science and the Nature of Reality
Groups also order




A colleague asked you to approve this order
Your quote list
Add books as you browse, then request one quote for all of them.