ETsWe could find aliens any day now: SETI scientists discuss extraterrestrial life hunting
ET phone Earth! We could be on the verge of answering one of the essential questions of humanity that has captivated our minds for centuries. As we advance in technology the search for extraterrestrial life becomes more sophisticated and promising. But the real frosting on the cake would be finding any signs of an intelligent alien civilization. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) project is looking carefully for these signs, listening to the universe that may be full of potential ET signals. Key figures of alien life hunting discuss the ongoing search for extraterrestrial life.
ET phone Earth! We could be on the verge of answering one of the essential questions of humanity that has captivated our minds for centuries. As we advance in technology the search for extraterrestrial life becomes more sophisticated and promising. But the real frosting on the cake would be finding any signs of an intelligent alien civilization. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) project is looking carefully for these signs, listening to the universe that may be full of potential ET signals. In an interview with astrowatch.net, key figures of alien life hunting discuss the ongoing search for extraterrestrial life. SETI’s Seth Shostak, Paul Shuch, Douglas Vakoch, and Gerry Harp talk the odds of finding ETs, explain the famous “Wow!” signal received in 1977, and unveil the future of the search for aliens.
Astrowatch.net: When will we find extraterrestrial life? Will it take less than 20 years as some NASA scientists believe?
Seth Shostak: No one knows, obviously. But based on the speed of our SETI searches, I predicted five years ago, in a talk and a paper, that we could find a signal proving the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence within two dozen years. More recently, NASA says the same thing, but “life” not “intelligent life”. I suspect they’re betting more heavily on finding evidence of microbial life in the solar system.
Paul Shuch: I am less optimistic, short-term, though very hopeful, long-term. I believe SETI is a multigenerational enterprise. We have only had telecommunications technology and radio astronomy for less than an eye-blink, on the cosmic calendar.
Douglas Vakoch: There are three ways we could find life beyond Earth in the next twenty years. As we explore the planets and moons of our own solar system, we could find evidence of microbial life close to home. As our capabilities for detecting atmospheres of planets circling other stars improve, we might find support for life on those distant worlds. And as we use radio telescopes to look for signals from advanced civilizations through SETI, we could find the telltale signs of alien technologies. Of these three search strategies, only SETI has the potential for a discovery as early as tonight. With enough commitment and funding, any of the three approaches could succeed by 2035.
