Is It Time To Phone E.T.?
Last month, when scientists met for the annual meeting of the esteemed American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) conference, sparks flew as a hot debate arose between scientists about extraterrestrials. Those involved at the conference were divided about whether we should send signals into outer space to communicate directly with extraterrestrials, or if we should hesitate to engage in communication for fear of potentially dangerous unwanted visitors, while others thought the talk was simply cockamamie.
The debate was started directly after those at the conference were discussing the seemingly insurmountable problem of global warming, stating that we might be a civilization in need of assistance from an otherworldly extraterrestrial source.
Astronomers have confirmed over 1,800 exo-planets in our galaxy alone, and estimate there are 100 billion in total. About 50 of the 1,800 seemed to be habitable in, or in the goldilocks zone. So astronomers and E.T. fans are hopeful that, we are not alone.
Scientists from SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) have been working hard, listening for about 50 years for extraterrestrial life forms, with nothing or no one seemingly interested in “phoning home.” (Though there was once somewhat of message received called the WOW signal.) So SETI researchers are “on the fence” about trying a new method.
The director of SETI’s interstellar message composition, Douglas A. Vakoch, thinks so too.
Vakoch wants to initiate a project, which he calls “Active Seti”. The project would focus on using some of SETI’s famous high powered telescopes, including the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico to not only listen but to send powerful transmissions deep into space stating that, “we exist, and we wish to communicate.”
But others frown on the idea including well known scientific figures like Stephen Hawking, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Elon Musk, and Sean Carroll. They believe that there is no reason to assume extraterrestrials are our friends, and we should proceed into the deep depths of space with caution.
Vakoch defends his stance that we have been transmitting from the 70’s and that any extraterrestrial aggressors will already know where we are.
Vakoch thinks, perhaps rightly so, that the discussion should not be limited to scientists at the AAAS. He plans to open up the floor to every citizen of earth with online site, “Earth Speaks”. The site allows for anyone to chime in to the discussion in a form of democracy about whether humanity should take this giant leap or remain silent in the cosmos.
Do you think we should phone e.t.?
