By 
October 8th, 2022
Credit: Breakthrough Listen
What is the potential for geopolitical fallout from successful contact with intelligent life elsewhere?
There have been researchers that argue that “passive” search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) involves an underexplored yet significant risk. The hazard stems from state-level actors that could seek to gain an “information monopoly” on communications with ET. These attempts could lead to international conflict and potentially disastrous consequences, so the argument goes.
The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in northern Chile’s Atacama desert.
Credit: ESO/B. Tafreshi (twanight.org)
Those views have been expressed by Kenneth Wisiana of the Center for Space Research, The University of Texas at Austin, and John Traphaganb (W&T) with the university’s Department of Religious Studies and Program in Human Dimensions of Organizations. Their thoughts can be found in the paper – “The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence: A Realpolitik Consideration” – at:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0265964620300199?via%3Dihub#!
Unlikely to work
“We find several flaws in their analysis,” retorts lead author, Jason Wright, a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State, in a new paper: “Geopolitical Implications of a Successful SETI Program.”
“While we do not dispute that a realpolitik response is possible, we uncover concerns with W&T’s presentation of the realpolitik paradigm, and we argue that sufficient reason is not given to justify treating this potential scenario as action-guiding over other candidate geopolitical responses.”
The late Frank Drake with cosmic equation to gauge the presence of intelligent life in the cosmos. The Drake Equation identifies specific factors believed to play a role in the development of civilizations in our galaxy.
Credit: SETI Institute
The new paper explains that it is highly unlikely that a nation could successfully monopolize communication with ET.
“Ultimately, we find that not only are W&T’s recommendations unlikely to work,” Wright and colleagues report, “they may also precipitate the very ills that they foresee. As an alternative, we recommend transparency and data sharing (which are consistent with currently accepted best practices), further development of post-detection protocols, and better education of policymakers in this space.”
To view the paper – “Geopolitical Implications of a Successful SETI Program” – go to: https://arxiv.org/abs/2209.15125
Also, go to this article focused on this complex topic at:
Posted in Space News
