Otherness is a topic addressed in a wide range of disciplines. This may concern unfamiliar environments resulting from natural disasters or from the colonization of celestial bodies, but also experiences of otherness when encountering different cultures or in relation to extraterrestrial life. The Einstein Circle “Exploring Otherness on Earth and beyond: Integrating perspectives from natural sciences, social sciences and humanities” (2022–2025) aimed to understand “the Other” and to explore ways of engaging with it. We asked: What is the Other? How do humans deal with unfamiliar environments or unfamiliar forms of life? While, in cultural and societal terms, the “other” is often understood as “something strange and frightening” or as “different from what we are used to,” and can therefore be perceived negatively or with rejection, society is at the same time generally interested in the possible discovery of “extraterrestrial life” and in the exploration of unfamiliar environments in the universe. The goal of the Einstein Circle was to examine the phenomenon of “the Other” from different perspectives and to explicitly bring together viewpoints from the natural sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities.
The Circle linked three dimensions from the natural sciences – Other Earth (geophysics), Other Worlds (space research), and Other Life (astrobiology) – with three perspectives from the humanities and social sciences – the Other Self (philosophy/theology), the Other in the Media (communication studies), and the Other in Perception (psychology). In a total of eight workshops and a final conference, we discussed these topics in an interdisciplinary setting. Each meeting focused on one of these areas, which was then examined from the vantage point of the other disciplines.
In the workshops we explored the search for extraterrestrial life and questions surrounding the colonization of the Moon and Mars. Here we addressed opportunities, risks, and ethical dilemmas: How would humanity react to the detection of extraterrestrial life? What role do the media play in this process? Are we entitled to colonize other planets or even exploit their resources? Particularly valuable were the lively discussions, which helped us to understand different ways of thinking and different methodologies, and to develop joint research approaches.
The Circle has already led to tangible outcomes and collaborations. Within the group, cross-disciplinary cooperations emerged that resulted in joint publications or project proposals, for example on media coverage of the discovery of phosphine on Venus, on gender equality in astrobiology, or on AI-supported detection of coli bacteria in drinking water. In particular, the Einstein Circle contributed to establishing a research focus on this topic in Berlin. Members of the Circle have submitted a proposal for a Collaborative Research Centre (Sonderforschungsbereich) on “Habitability as a fundamental planetary process,” in which the focus shifts from the search for “life as we know it from Earth” to basic physical geo-chemical processes that enable us to study “life that may be different from what we know from Earth.” A key position taken in this context is that the societal implications of the search for extraterrestrial life should already be considered and anticipated alongside the corresponding scientific research. A distinctive feature of the project is that, here too, research from the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities is brought together.
In addition to the scientific outcomes, public outreach was a central concern. Members of the Circle appeared regularly in the media, in planetariums, and on blogs in order to make current research accessible to a broad public. Formats such as Einstein in the Dome reached large audiences and highlighted the societal relevance of interdisciplinary research.
Overall, the Einstein Circle has shown that interdisciplinary exchange on “Otherness” opens up new perspectives – not only for the disciplines involved, but also for society’s engagement with otherness, uncertainty, and questions about the future. The results lay the foundation for sustainable research collaborations and help to position Berlin as a strong hub for innovative, cross-disciplinary research on space and society.