Can we communicate from Earth to inform intelligent aliens (if they exist) that we are present and want to say hello? Is this a good idea or a bad idea? Are we capable of handling an alien invasion? At a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in San Jose (California), a call was made for intelligent life to be actively sought out in distant star systems. The SETI Institute scientists, who have been monitoring the Universe’s signals for over three decades say they have not received any evidence that alien life has ever existed. Is it possible that superintelligent aliens responded to our messages but intended to harm us? We have very little to do. There is very little. Increase the effort to find extraterrestrial intelligence, SETI SETI is an acronym for Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute. At the AAAS meeting, Seth Shostak, SETI’s director and senior astronomer said that he thinks we need to intensify the search. Dr. Shostak stated that “Active Seti” is something that some of us at the Institute are interested in. This means that we should broadcast information to nearby stars to try to get responses. Dr. Shostak also believes that there’s no reason not to send a message to aliens, as they would know our existence. Interview with BBC: Dr. Shostak stated that active Seti is dangerous and that many people oppose it. This is like shouting into the wilderness. It is like shouting in the jungle. You wouldn’t want it on your tombstone if you incited the aliens to destroy the planet. We have also been telling them sporadically that we’ve been here for 70 many years. These messages aren’t very interesting, but they were broadcast on early TV, radio and radar during the Second World War. It is hard to believe that active messages should be sent if we have been sending them for over seven decades. How would an inter-galactic peacekeeping force of aliens think about us? They might consider wiping out us if they decide we pose a threat to the Universe and are too violent. It would not be wise, according to many. David Brin, a science fiction author, spoke at the AAAS meeting. He argued against inviting aliens into our world. Brin stated that history will show you that the first contact between indigenous people and industrial civilizations does not work. Pro-message persons have tried to railroad the public to send a message, without any discussion about the potential cultural consequences. Although Mr. Brin believes that there are very few chances for a reply to messages, he insists that the risk of terrible human consequences is too great. It is absurd to believe that the arrogance of shouting in the cosmos with no proper risk assessment is a sign of arrogance. This is an unsafe course for our children,” stated Mr. Brin. Dr. Shostak thinks we need to address both the policy and ethical implications of space exploration as the speed of discovery into other planets like Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn increases. SETI: Traditional vs. Active SETI Dr. Shostak clarified the differences between Traditional SETI and Active SETI. Traditional SETI includes listening in on radio signals and flash laser pulses. Active SETI is the deliberate transmission of messages to space with the intention of receiving a reply. There have been attempts to reach out to extraterrestrials over the last forty years. A message from Puerto Rico’s Arecibo radio observatory was sent in 1974. Some Voyager probes had messages sent to them. Stephen Hawking warns Professor Stephen Hawking that the English theoretical physicist and cosmologist, Stephen Hawking is concerned about what could happen if intelligent aliens visit our planet. Professor Hawking, in the TV series “Into the Universe”, reminded us about what happened to the American Indians following Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the New World. Professor Hawking stated that it didn’t work out well for Native Americans. For several reasons, if an alien civilization responded to our message they would be clearly more technologically advanced and intelligent than we. First, their technology for space travel would be centuries more advanced than ours if they could come to see us. We would be harmed if a more advanced civilization came to our aid. How do we deal with intelligent lifeforms other than us? They are our food, we eat them and we do scientific research on them. When they become dangerous, we kill them. BBC Video Interview With Dr. Seth Shostak
