The speaker, a Harvard scientist, discusses his book 'Extraterrestrial' which explores the discovery of Oumuamua, an object from outside the solar system. Discovered in 2017, Oumuamua exhibited unusual characteristics, such as a flat shape and a push away from the sun without a cometary tail, suggesting it might be artificial. The speaker compares this to finding a plastic bottle on a beach, indicating a civilization. He emphasizes the importance of learning from potential extraterrestrial intelligence, as the Sun-Earth system is common in the Milky Way.

How did the object from 2017 exhibit a push away from the sun without showing a cometary tail?

What is the name of the object discovered in 2017 that came from outside the solar system?

What are the implications of the object being potentially artificial in origin?

What analogy does the author use to describe the experience of finding evidence of extraterrestrial life?

What key question does the author raise about humanity's place in the universe?