SETI: the
search for extraterrestrial intelligence has been operating for the last sixty
years Scientists have been using radio telescopes and searching space for any form of intelligible radio
communication that could be coming from an alien species on a far distant
exo-planet. Finding money and telescope time to do this have not been easy.
Lately SETI have received a massive investment from a Russian billionaire and
are now embarking on a program called “Breakthrough Initiatives”. With this
will come more hours to search the heavens and more of the sky to track. Also
now that the existence and position of a large number of exo-planets are known,
telescopes can now be focused on these points with the hope of a signal.
One new
aspect that was being considered, but which will for the moment be rejected, is
the sending of our own signal into space which may well be detected by an alien
race. But what could we say?
What
message could you send that would represent the human race and the fragile
planet we live upon? Would you send an accurate picture of the interhuman
tensions and total destruction of the planet or a more soft focused view?
Should we reveal information about our vulnerabilities to a possibly hostile
alien race? Or should we bother as it would take so long to get there and so
long for a return signal that humans will no longer exist?
What would
you do? Send a message? And if so, what would you say?
To find out
more go to here!
