Yesterday , SETI astrobiologists told the U.S. Congress there ’s “ close to a 100 % chance ” that aliens exist , sum that we might detect signs of life in 20 years . But things went to the south when the level opened up for motion .
Dan Werthimer , director of the SETI Research Center at the University of California , Berkeley , and Seth Shostak , senior uranologist at SETI , were on Capitol Hill yesterday discussing the pauperization for continued funding for the search for life in the galaxy . The gathering was a follow - up to aDecember 2013 hearing on the lookup for biosignatures in our solar system and beyond .
Only a ‘cramped mind’ wouldn’t wonder
Werthimer told the Committee on Science , Space , and Technology that the possible action of microbial lifetime on other planets is airless to 100 % .
“ It would be flakey if we are alone , ” Werthimer said . “ It would be a strangle mind that did n’t question what other life is out there . ”
( ScienceHouseGov )
To which Shostak added : “ If you extrapolate on the major planet [ we ’ve ] discovered , there are a trillion planet in the galaxy . That ’s a lot of places for life . We know that the majority of stars have satellite [ but what ] fraction of stars has planets that are more like the ground ? It might be one in five . ”
Shostak preach for three different approach : ( 1 ) searching for microbic living nearby ( like on Mars ) , ( 2 ) examine the atmospheres of exoplanets , and ( 3 ) the SETI approach of listening for touch , like radio signals . He trust that the first two approaches could lead to result within the next 20 years — leave these undertaking are adequately funded .
Both stargazer agreed that aliens in all likelihood exist in various stage of development and that there could be “ a great deal of advanced refinement ” as well . Thankfully , Werthimer did not preach for an Active SETI coming , instead arguing that we should just “ receive signals and see what ’s out there , ” adding : “ My notion is that we should just be heed . ”
Werthimer talked about some next steps , including the structure of wide - slant , panchromatic telescopes that will expand its ability to pick up extraterrestrial signals . He also talked about using “ interplanetary eavesdropping ” to find signals that could be transmitted between other planets , and the practice of using laser to cull upsignals .
Ancient Aliens? Really?
But once the presentation was over , the floor was opened for query . And that ’s when thing , for the most part , started to get a bit weird . Danielle Wiener - Bronner from The Wirereports :
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici recalled the question a confrere , Rep. Chris Smith , posed during an earlier earshot . “ What do we do when we find life on another satellite ? ” She ask the alarmist question next , “ What ’s the architectural plan ? Do we foretell it to the world ? ” Shostak shoot back , respectfully , that people have thought for yr that the administration has a secret exotic plan when , in reality , “ nobody in the politics shows the slightest bit of interest ” in SETI ’s activities . Zing .
Rep. Chris Collins posed the question he mean was on everyone ’s creative thinker — “ Have you watched Ancient Aliens and what is your comment on the series ? ” Shostak respond that he takes result with the premise of the show , which fix that ancient artifact suggest a long - ago alien visit to Earth . “ Pyramids were built by Egyptians , ” he said , and Werthimer added that “ UFO have nothing to do with extraterrestrials . ” That was Collins ’s only question . Rep. Bill Posey asked the scientist to discourse “ Project Blue Book , ” describe a connection between UFOs and the lookup for aliveness in spite of Werthimer ’s note .
It should be note , however , that some member of the committee made more serious inquiries . Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson asked how SETI inquiry had lead to other area of skill , and Rep. Donna Edwards expect for detail on how the panchromatic telescope project would work . But its hard to judder the feeling that , for the most part , committee members step into the elbow room with a view of aliens as imaginary humanoid beings waiting to talk to us , and walk out with that same horizon . Which has more to say about the province of our government than the state of our scientific advances .
Ugh . I can conceive of the mental face - medal being made by Shostak and Werthimer during the Q&A period .
[ ABC|The Wire ]
( Top prototype good manners of NRAO / AUI )
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