Keith Cooper is the Editor of Astronomy Now and an author. Why is searching for aliens so hard? How would they contact us? How would we decode a message? What are the potential dangers of responding? Should the general public be told if we find them? Should we be freely sending messages out into space? Extra Stuff: Buy The Contact Paradox - https://amzn.to/2EXuFsR Follow Keith on Twitter - https://twitter.com/21stCenturySETI The End Of The World Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/the-end-of-the-world-with-josh-clark/id1437682381 Take a break from alcohol and upgrade your life - https://6monthssober.com/podcast Check out everything I recommend from books to products - https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/modernwisdom - Get in touch. Join the discussion with me and other like minded listeners in the episode comments on the MW YouTube Channel or message me... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ModernWisdomPodcast Email: https://www.chriswillx.com/contact
Keith Cooper challenges assumptions in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence in his book, The Contact Paradox. SETI has experienced a resurgence recently, with a ten-year project to listen for extraterrestrial signals using telescopes around the world.
This podcast episode discusses the common misconceptions regarding the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) and how it shouldn't be based on the assumption that aliens will be benevolent or hostile towards humans, but rather focused on finding any form of life beyond Earth, even in the microbial level.
SETI's search for extraterrestrial life through radio waves may continue, but the difficulty of expressing culture through mathematics remains a major obstacle that may hinder the process.
The complexities of communicating with extraterrestrial life forms may be similar to trying to understand a complex language unlike your own. It's difficult to determine how we would be able to communicate with a machine life form without any similar technology on Earth.
The SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) project sends radio messages in hopes of detecting a signal from other life forms and possibly initiating conversation, raising the question of whether it's ethical to send messages without authorization from the UN. The debate argues that it's safe because the civilization is too far away to harm us, but there is still a concern about the responsibility of broadcasting messages without permission.
The speaker highlights the need for humans to act responsibly and carefully in order to become a cosmic civilization. He suggests that it is difficult for a planet to develop complex life, and that destruction could come from natural causes rather than an invasion scenario.
Exploring the possibilities of advanced, intelligent life in the galaxy, and the likelihood of finding these species on water worlds. Additionally, the concept that water is rare in the universe is discussed as incorrect.
The discussion revolves around the great filter and how it can be used to preempt events like nuclear war or the climate crisis. The role of altruism in societal development is highlighted along with the need to broaden our horizons by processing more data faster.
The speaker gives hope to aspiring authors and encourages them to keep trying even if they face initial rejection.