2023/08/28 by John Gertz, Gertz, John
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Popular Physics (physics.pop-ph) #Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life #Space exploration and regulation
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2308.14917
openalex publication_date 2023/08/28 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The Defense Department and NASA are investigating the possibility that aliens are currently surveilling Earth. This aligns with some search-for-extraterrestrial-intelligence (SETI) theorists who have concluded that ET's best strategy for opening a channel of communication is to send artificially intelligent probes to our Solar System for that purpose. This is a golden age for traditional SETI, which is currently well funded, with most of the world's radio telescopes now engaged in the hunt. One way or another, contact with aliens may be imminent. There has been no planning among nations for the aftermath of a first detection. This paper advocates for such planning and diplomacy.