Reinventing SETI clears out the cobwebs of outdated or wrongheaded SETI paradigms such as Fermi's Paradox, the Drake Equation, and METI (i.e., proactively sending signals from Earth to putative aliens). It argues that scientists should approach the pursuit of extraterrestrials (ETs) in a more effective manner. Author John Gertz states that ETs, as biological lifeforms themselves, cannot accomplish interstellar travel, but have instead placed robotic probes throughout the universe, perhaps even in our own Solar System. Gertz also warns that humankind is woefully unprepared for the day of First Contact with an alien probe right here in our own backyard. He suggests contingency planning, involving international cooperation as well as broad cross-disciplinary expertise.

Humorous and deeply informative, this book takes the reader through the universe, conventional SETI methods, ideas on future ET exploration, and a discussion on who else shares this space.