Do you think we should attempt contact with aliens?

[spacefan]

I would like to know your opinion about this.

Do you think we should try to contact aliens?

I think it's safe as long as we choose stars as old as the Sun or younger.

I also think that, if a nearby civilization hasn't contacted with us yet, it's probably because they don't have the means to do so.

Actually, according to Claudio Maccone, there are probably no advanced civilizations within 500 light years.

There is an organization called METI, that tries to message extraterrestrial intelligence. More info here.

 

[phinds]

It's all speculation and if you ask 10 different people, you'll get 11 different opinions with emphasis on different aspects of the whole thing. Personally, I think it can be interesting speculation but as a practical matter it's a waste of time.

 

[sysprog]

We've already, albeit somewhat inadvertently, messaged the whole Universe ever since the first episodes of 'Howdy Doody' being broadcast in UHF, so let's please hope that 'they' like USA TV.

 

[Klystron]

While funding remained erratic, as Carl Sagan indicates*, NASA and other agencies have run SETI programs for decades. Not all projects involved passive listening. We have transmitted coded signals into space along with radiating "I Love Lucy" re-runs before cable TV predominated.

That bird has flown.​

The die is cast.​

That ship has sailed.​

The cat ("meorrw") is out of the bag.​

*re: Sagan's novel and film and popular astronomy show.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Someday a flying saucer will land on the National Mall, loudpeakers will engage, and we will hear a booming Cuban-accented voice, "Lucy...I'm home!"

 

[epenguin]

It's all speculation and if you ask 10 different people, you'll get 11 different opinions with emphasis on different aspects of the whole thing. Personally, I think it can be interesting speculation but as a practical matter it's a waste of time.

Beeeep!

 

[timmeister37]

We've already, albeit somewhat inadvertently, messaged the whole Universe ever since the first episodes of 'Howdy Doody' being broadcast in UHF, so let's please hope that 'they' like USA TV.

The aliens are going to think we are some weird beings if all they see is howdy doody.

 

[Flatland]

We do have something called METI

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/METI_(Messaging_Extraterrestrial_Intelligence)

 

[Buzz Bloom]

Hi Flatland:

My opinion for a variety of subtle reasons: Communication with distant aliens cannot do the people of Earth any more harm than not communicating with them, if any such beings actually exist.

Regards,
Buzz

 

[gmax137]

there are probably no advanced civilizations within 500 light years

If true, I'm not convinced that "communication" is possible.

Us: AD2020: "Hey there!"
...
...
Them AD3020: "Wazzup!"
Us: AD3020: "Hey cool, how you guyz doing?"
...
...
Them: AD4020: "What?"