Teaching by imagining <i>Life Beyond Us</i> : Science fiction for outreach and education

Abstract Astrobiology is generally considered to be a promising gateway into science, and storytelling techniques have been getting increasingly more traction lately in education and outreach because of their potential benefits for learning. At the European Astrobiology Institute, we combined these two pathways by creating two anthologies of astrobiology-inspired science fiction stories accompanied by science fact essays, Strangest of All and Life Beyond Us . Furthermore, we created educational materials that build on the anthology project and acquaint students with the issue of planetary protection. Here we introduce the project and planned future directions in story-driven astrobiology outreach and education.