Next year, scientists will send messages to search for aliens

cnet.com ^ | Daniel Oberhaus

[RoosterRedux]

For the last half-century or so, astronomers around the world have been scanning the cosmos with massive radio telescopes in hopes of finding some sign of intelligent life. This network of alien-hunters comprises the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), but despite all their efforts, the interstellar radio waves have remained quiet. One might even say too quiet.

Depending on who you ask, first contact with an extraterrestrial civilization might happen any day now. Seth Shostak, director of the SETI Institute, has famously predicted that we'll hear from ET within the next two decades. Others, such as the Cornell University astronomer Yervant Terzian are less optimistic -- his probabilistic calculations place first contact in about 1,500 years, assuming there's anyone left on Earth to receive the call.

But many SETI astronomers aren't content with only scanning the airwaves for signs of ET. Instead, they think we should also be actively reaching out to the cosmos on behalf of planet Earth.

These astronomers occupy a controversial niche within the SETI community known as Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligences, or METI. At the forefront of this group is Douglas Vakoch, president of METI International, a research group dedicated to designing and sending messages intended for extraterrestrial recipients.

Vakoch and his colleagues at METI International are fighting an uphill battle. Aside from all the technical problems that come with trying to contact aliens, many SETI astronomers think it's a bad idea.

The METI opposition group, which includes scientists like Stephen Hawking, argues that since we have no idea what ET might be like, sending a message into the cosmos comes with a huge existential risk. If the aliens happen to be friendly, no problem. But if they're hostile, that means we're essentially sending out a beacon that says "ATTACK HERE."

[SunkenCiv]

Rare View Captured of Rings Around Uranus
https://www.space.com/4266-rare-view-captured-rings-uranus.html

http://www.google.com/search?q=Rings+Around+Uranus+site:freerepublic.com

sidebar:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1435997/posts?page=43#43

[Peter ODonnell]

We don’t want these aliens, let’s build a sphere.

[z3n]

“we’re essentially sending out a beacon that says “ATTACK HERE.”
Yup. That’s exactly what we’re doing.

~~~~~~~

All lifeforms as we know them are opportunists. Predation isn’t just lions mauling gazelles on the savanah, it’s trees crowding out other threes to exploit sunlight and watershed or microbes switching from breaking down organic compounds to finding parasitic hosts. You intentionally make yourself known, you’re probably not getting the attention of anything benevolent.

[Egon]

All lifeforms as we know them are opportunists. Predation isn’t just lions mauling gazelles on the savanah, it’s trees crowding out other threes to exploit sunlight and watershed or microbes switching from breaking down organic compounds to finding parasitic hosts. You intentionally make yourself known, you’re probably not getting the attention of anything benevolent.

Best summation ever.

[mikrofon]

DATELINE 2067:

“Chancellor Barron Trump, as a part of his ‘Make Earth Great Again’ campaign (MEGA), proposed the deployment of the Border Force-Field…”

[mikeus_maximus]

A message to aliens? Is it in Spanish, and from the Democratic party?

[Ancesthntr]

You know, I enjoy Turtledove’s books. But when all of civilization and human life is at stake in dealing with an alien race, I’m not really prepared to wager everything on what one (rather talented) sci-fi writer has proposed in one of his books - that they’ll be coming at us with muskets.

No, I say that we just STFU. The best possible strategy would be to switch everything to communications that DON’T get beamed into space...and, just before shutting off the last radio and TV signals, have a false scenario of a devastating nuclear war sent out...that the planet is completely irradiated, poisoned, etc., so that anyone wanting to come here will decide that it isn’t worth it.

[Riley]

He doesn’t suggest that we wager everything that we are on that. Nobody does. He is cautioning against assumptions made on, literally, no data at all- and I agree with that.

That said, prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

Nice to bump into another Turtledove fan.

[litehaus]

My suggestion is sending a number....3.14 etc etc

[Riley]

They’ll come expecting to be fed... pi.

[VideoDoctor]

Next year, scientists will send messages to search for aliens

Just keep repeat broadcast playing Adele's "Hello" cut until they answer.

For those who may not be familar with the song "Hello."

 

"Hello" Lyrics

Hello, it's me
I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet
To go over everything
They say that time's supposed to heal ya
But I ain't done much healing

Hello, can you hear me
I'm in California dreaming about who we used to be
When we were younger and free
I've forgotten how it felt before the world fell at our feet

There's such a difference between us
And a million miles

Hello from the other side
I must have called a thousand times
To tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done
But when I call you never seem to be home

Hello from the outside
At least I can say that I've tried
To tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart
But it don't matter it clearly doesn't tear you apart anymore

Hello, how are you?
It's so typical of me to talk about myself I'm sorry
I hope that you're well
Did you ever make it out of that town where nothing ever happened

It's no secret that the both of us
Are running out of time

So hello from the other side
I must have called a thousand times
To tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done
But when I call you never seem to be home
Hello from the outside
At least I can say that I've tried
To tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart
But it don't matter it clearly doesn't tear you apart anymore

Ooooohh, anymore
Ooooohh, anymore
Ooooohh, anymore
Anymore

Hello from the other side
I must have called a thousand times
To tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done
But when I call you never seem to be home
Hello from the outside
At least I can say that I've tried
To tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart
But it don't matter it clearly doesn't tear you apart anymore

Written by Adele Adkins, Gregory Kurstin • Copyright © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group

[ETL]

You know how aliens are always depicted in fiction as being superior to humans in every way, right?

Either that, or half-animal unintelligent underground mutants. And when they are depicted as 'vastly superior' the male alien messengers almost always appear to be gay or even transgender.

In case anyone was wondering, this is from the episode "Arena", where he takes on 'Gorn'...

And, for the record, he and 'Gorn', all these years later, are apparently still going at it.

[Wildbill22]

We are naive to assume intelligent life necessarily has our values of humanity.

We may be attracting superior intelligent life with superior technology, only to find the hard way that they have all the compassion and empathy of a black widow spider or a great white shark.

[ETL]

[ETL]

Love that quote in your tagline, btw...

“They have us surrounded again, the poor bastards”- Gen Creighton William Abramsp

[litehaus]

OKAY ! Good One .....

[ETL]

I must be getting old, because I actually don't remember it at all. And it was only a couple years ago, and surely must have received a lot of attention here.

[ETL]

[RoosterRedux]

We are naive to assume intelligent life necessarily has our values of humanity.

H$ll, the Democrats don't even have our values of humanity.

[Herakles]

And, if they are sain or know what is good for them, will stay away.