Earth to Proxima b: Can You Hear Me Now?steemCreated with Sketch.

in science •  8 years ago 

Scientists at an organization called Messaging ExtraTerrestial Intelligence (METI) are preparing to broadcast to a planet (Proxima b) orbiting the nearest star (Proxima Centauri) sometime in 2018.


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Not everyone is in favor of this ambitious effort by METI. Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and physicist Mark Buchanan think caution is prudent. They warn that potential contact with a more advanced species of aliens may be disastrous for humanity. The advanced aliens may be even more aggressive than some people already on this Earth.

The message METI plans to send will include basic mathematical and scientific concepts. In my opinion, if an advanced alien species does get the message, they may laugh at us and think we are easy picking if that is the best math and science we have.

What Do You Think Of METI's Plan?

If you think this is a good idea, maybe you will be able to help METI. The organization is planning a crowdfunding drive.

Source and Full Article

Alien Contact Danger: METI Readies Signal to Nearest Star as Scientist Warn of Possible Hostile Recipients, 30 December 2016

METI Scientists Planning To Send Radio Signals To Closest Earth-like Exoplanet Proxima B To Initiate Alien Contact, 30 December 2016

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  ·  8 years ago (edited)

Realistically, there's only a few alternatives.

  1. They are less advanced than us, and thus our attempt at communication is a waste of time.
  2. They are more advanced than us, and have been leaving us alone because of some kind of non-intervention policy.
  3. They are more advanced than us but have not "seen" us yet. But how is this really possible if they are more advanced? Are they not looking? Are they blind to the massive amount of noise we're making? They just haven't looked in our direction yet? I'm not sure this makes sense.
  4. They are more advanced and just waiting for us to fatten up a little more?
  5. There's no-one there.

I think at this point, the idea that us sending them a message is going to wake them up to our presence is a little silly. Any sufficiently advanced interstellar capable race is going to know who their neighbours are, especially a neighbour a mere 1.3 parsecs away.

Great points. Thanks for commenting.

There is also the chance,
They are more advanced, they heard us, they are on there way. (This may be covered by point #4.)

Steem on,
Mike

I think it is a great idea, but then I think that we were brought here for a reason. Therefore I believe most of the races we run into beyond earth may already be more advanced than us.

I have mixed feelings about doing this too. Even if the message is heard by an alien species, I doubt we get an invitation to join the federation of planets. LOL :-)

I thought this was a thought provoking post because if they do send a message in the year 2018, on the bright side, we have a year to prepare for the alien apocalypse.

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Mike

Well, my WiFi is named Final Frontier lol, so I am communicating already lol.

True agreed it is thought provoking.

Considering every movie where aliens are contacted and decide to make an appearance ends with humans being blown to bits or, oh I don't know, harvested for something, I think it's probably a really bad idea. That's just a guess though.

The more I think about it, I am thinking it is a bad idea too.

At first I thought my fear of the unknown was silly, but sometimes that fear of the unknown gives you a healthy respect for what you don't know and why caution is more prudent.

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Mike

Exactly!! Maybe instead of trying to make contact, we could just locate them and observe from afar first, lol :)