ArewepreparedforAliens?

Submittedby
KaranDeepSingh
201201081
DAIICTGandhinagar

Introduction

Theexistenceofextraterrestriallifeformhasbeenthesubjectofdrake
equationwrittenbyFrankDrakein1961.TheDrakeequationisaprobabilistic
argumentusedtoestimatethenumberofactive,communicativeextraterrestrial
civilizationsintheMilkyWaygalaxy.TheequationwaswrittenbyFrankDrake
notforpurposeofnumberofaliencivilizationsbutintendedasawaytostimulate
scientificdialogueatthesearchforextraterrestrialintelligence(SETI).The
equationsummarizesthemainconceptswhichscientistsmustlookthoughtfully
foralongtimewhenconsideringthequestionofotherradiocommunicativelife.

TheDrakeequationis:

Here,Nstandsforthenumberofaliencivilizationsthatarecommunicativelyactive.
R*=theaveragerateofstarformationinourgalaxy
fp=thefractionofthosestarsthathaveplanets
ne=theaveragenumberofplanetsthatcanpotentiallysupportlifeperstarthathas
planets
fl=thefractionofplanetsthatcouldsupportlifethatactuallydeveloplifeatsomepoint
fi=thefractionofplanetswithlifethatactuallygoontodevelopintelligentlife
(civilizations)
fc=thefractionofcivilizationsthatdevelopatechnologythatreleasesdetectablesigns
oftheirexistenceintospace
L=thelengthoftimeforwhichsuchcivilizationsreleasedetectablesignalsintospace.

As we can see that the equation is pretty simple due to the fact that it
just involves multiplication of all the quantities stated above.But however,the
variables used in the equation span a very wide range of information such as all
the planets which could possibly support life. These kind of information are too
vast and almost impossible to determine accurately by mankind .The Drake
Equation actually only deals with the active, capable of communication and
intelligent extraterrestrial life forms, but there might also be a case where we
may find aliens who are still not as intelligent and advanced as compared to
us.Thats not the matter to be worried of, since if we encounter a Hominidaeor
akindofEarlyMancivilization,wemay,dependingonourneedsmayexploit
themortakeadvantageofthem.Butatleastitisnotamattertobeworried
about,sincethemaynotharmusandthereforewemaynotnotneedtoprepare
ourselvesforthem.

TheDrakeequationhasbeenprovedtobecontroversialsinceseveralof
itsfactorsarecurrentlyunknown,andestimatesoftheirvaluesspanaverywide
range.Theequationtosomeextentshowsbyalargeprobabilitythataliensexist
.Ontheotherhand,thecurrentlackofanycommunicationwithaliensisa
paradox.TheFermiparadoxexplainsthecontradictionbetweentheexistenceof
extraterrestriallifewithhighprobabilityandyetwithoutanycommunicationwith
them.Butsupposivelyifwehearfromanintelligentlifeformwhichhasnot
originatedfromearth,whatwouldbethenextstepofmankind?

Thesequestionsareatthepointunanswered.ItistheGovernment,on
whichthepeoplerelyonwhentheyareindangerofanyothercivilizationora
groupingeneral.Butasofyet,nogovernmenthadmadeanypostdetection
policyaboutwhattheywilldowhenthereisaconfirmedmessagefromany
extraterrestriallifeform.EventheUnitedNationsOfficeforOuterSpace
Affairs(UNOOSA)saysthattheirjobfielddoesn'tincludeanysuchpolicy.So,if
thegovernmentsstepbackinsuchasituation,thenarewetotallyunprepared
forthis?Andcouldthosealiensdowhateverwithusspreadingchaosand
anarchy?

Accordingtoworldsleadingphysicists,itsamatterofgovernmentsrather
thanhollywood,whoshouldstartpreparingforourfirstextraterrestrial
encounter.AndinaspeechatEuroscienceOpenForuminDublin,Ireland
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JocelynBellBurnellsaidIdosuspectthatwearegoingtogetsignsoflife
elsewhere,maybeevenintelligentlife,withinnextcentury.Havingsaidthata
fewquestionswhichcomestoourmindisthat,howwellareweprepared?How
shouldweapproachthem?Shouldwemakeourselvesknowntothemornot?
Andwhowillrepresentmankindtoaliens.Theseareafewissueswhichwillbe
discussedsubsequently.Thesolutionstilldatewhichwillnowbediscussedmay
notbeexplicitduetocurrentlackofdetailsbutdescribesthecurrentlevelof
preparednessofmankind.

InterplanetaryContamination

Historicallywehaveactedasiflifeoutsideearthexists.Interplanetary
contaminationreferstobiologicalcontaminationofamanmadeplanetarybody
byaspacecraft,eitherdeliberateorunintentional.Theremaybecertain
biologicalspecies,especiallybacteriaandvirusesorsomeothermicrobiological
organismswhichmaycomeinsidetheearthsatmosphereduringthereturn
journeyofamanmadespacecraftfromanalienbiosphereduringinterstellar
exploration,whichmayeventuallybecomeathreattohumanaswellasother
organismsandwipeoutpresentlifefromEarth.Therefore,aspointedoutby
MichaelStevens,whenApollo11returnedfrommoon,NeilArmstrongwasnot
allowedtoimmediatelycomeincontactwithpublic,butinsteadtheywerelocked
inabiologicalisolationgarmentsandforthreeweeks,theywerenotableto
meettheirfamilies,becausetherewasafearofsomealienlifeformwhichthey
mighthavebringbackfromlunarsurface.

SimilarlywhenNASAsendGalileospacecrafttosurveySaturnandits
moons,aftertheirsurveyNASAdecidedtodestroygalileospacecraftbecause
therewasafearofcontaminatinganalienbiosphere.Therefore,protocolsand
decisionshavebeenofficiallymadebygovernmentthatalienlifeformsmight
actuallyexist.Thereisalsoanideathatmaybethelifeonearthitselfstarted
fromsomealienbodyfallingonearthsuchasameteor.Eventhoughthereisstill
noconfirmedmessageforouterspace.Havingsaidthat,weneedsomeform

ofmeasurementsoastoofhowmuchimportanceistheextraterrestrialcontact
isweigh.

ConceptofRIOscale

TheRioScale,isainterstellarriskmeasurementsystem,rangingfrom0
to10wasproposedintheyear2000asthemeansofquantifyingthesignificance
ofSETIdeclaration.ThisscaleislikeTorinoScalewhichisusedtocategorize
thehazardofimpactofnearearthobjects(NEOs).Themoreextraordinarythe
communicationwiththealiens,moreisthenumberonRioScale,0standsforno
significanceand10standsforextraordinarysignificance.

ThepublicwillbealertedinthetermsofRIOSCALE,whichmeasuresthe
consequencesofevidenceofextraterrestriallife.Forexample,oncomparingthe
shownvaluebyrioscalewithhollywoodmovies,SethShostakandIvanAlmar
appliedthisscalesreadingtohistoricalevents.Themoonmonolithdiscovered
inthehollywoodmovie2001SpaceOdysseywasa6onRioScaleoutof10.
AndinthemovieIndependenceDay,whenthealienshadreachedcloseto
moonandmoving,thatwouldbea10(Extraordinary).

AcloselyrelatedmeasurementsystemistheSanMarinoScalefor
quantifyingpotentialhazardofdeliberatetransmissionsfromEarth.Justlikethe
RioScaleisthesearchforextraterrestrialsignals(SETI),theSanMarinoscale
seekstobringobjectivitytothereciprocalenterprisethathumanssending
transmissionsthatcouldbefoundbyotherlifeformsbeyondearth(METI).The
SanMarinoScalewasfirstproposedin2005andwasadoptedbytheIAASETI
PermanentStudyGroupinSeptember2007.

Whatandhowshouldwecommunicate?

Ifwewanttoshowthealiensthatweareintelligent,maybeweshould
sendoneofthegreatestdiscoveryintheformofradiosignalsrepresentinga
stringofsequence,forexamplesaythelargestknownprimenumbertilldate
(2^578851611)orthevalueofpi.Oneformatapproachproposedfor
interstellarmessageswastousetheproductoftwoprimenumberstoconstruct
animage,buttherecouldbedistortionsinsignalduetonoise.Asanexample,
themessagesentbyFrankDrakefromtheAreciboObservatoryin1974didnot
haveanyfeaturetosupportmechanismstocopewiththeinevitablenoise
degradationoftheinterstellarmedium.Orshouldwenotcommunicateever?
Maybeifweremainsilent,thatwillbebetterforus.Sincethismaycallourown
destruction.

Scientistsinthepasthadcarriedoutexperimentswhichhadbrought
destructiontohumansitselfandcommunicatingwithextraterrestrialsmayrepeat
history.Thereforebeforecarryingoutanythingfurtherinthis,weshould
considerthefutureimplicationsandoutcomesbeforehandandprepareourselves
beforecontact.StephenHawkingwarnsthatwhenaliensvisitus,theoutcome
willbemuchlikewhenBritisherslandedinIndia,oewhenHernanCortes
ArrivesinMexico,whichdidnotturnoutwellfornatives.ProfessorSimon
ConwayMorrisapalaeontologistsaysthatifacosmicphonerings,weshould
notpickitup.SimonConwayMorrisisoneofthosethinkerswhoprefertolimit
themselvestointerstellarspaceexplorationviasendingRadioSignals.Heis
genuinelyinterestedinupsettingtheapplecartofreceiveddogma,andgetting
closertothetruth.

SETIGroup

TheSearchforExtraterrestrialIntelligence(SETI)isthecollective
nameforanumberofactivitiesundertakentosearchforintelligentextraterrestrial
life.SETIprojectsusescientificcommunicationmethodssuchasradiosignalsin
thissearchofcivilizationsbeyondearth.Seemsthattheyaretheonlyone
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preparedastheyhaveaneartothesky.Noneoftheotherorganisationshave
publiclyannouncedtheirpartintransmissionandreceptionofcosmicsignals.

SETIonitsofficialwebsitehasmentionedadeclarationthatwhatwould
betheconcerningactivitiesfollowingthedetectionofextraterrestrialintelligence.
Thatistheonlypolicyadoptedbyanyoneaboutaconfirmedsignalfromoutside
tilldate.Thereforeitisassumedthatanysuchmessagewillfollowtherules
listedbySETIwhenaliensactuallycontact.

ThereisActiveSETIalsoknownasMETI(Messagingto
ExtraterrestrialIntelligence)whichistheattempttosendmessagesto
potentialaliensviaradiosignals.Socansuchadecisionbetakenonbehalfof
thewholeplanet?Whatwouldhappenifitwassuccessfulandsomeone
receivedoursignal?Arewepreparedforthistypeofcontact?

ThisquestionwasaskedbyGabrielG.delaTorre,apsychologistat
SpainsUniversityofCdiz,whoarguesthatSETIshouldnothurryincontacting
theextraterrestriallifeformssinceatpresent,wehaveincompleteunderstanding
ofhowweshouldberespondingandwhowillrepresentingustothe
extraterrestrialcivilization.Nogovernmenthassetupanystepstostopor
monitorthem.AsurveybyGabrielG.delaTorrerevealedthatTheknowledge
ofthegeneralpublicaboutcosmosandourplacewithinitissolowthatwemight
needanotherGalileotoleadthisjourney,DelaTorresaid,inthesensethat
peopledonotknowanythingaboutcosmosandEarthisthestartandendofthe
universetothem.HecontinuesTherefore,acosmicawarenessmustbefurther
promotedwhereourmindisincreasinglyconsciousoftheglobalrealitythat
surroundsususingthebesttoolavailabletous:education.

Healsoconcludedthathumanignoranceofthecosmosissoextremethat
ifanaliencomesfromnowheresuddenly,disasterisensuredbecauseofour
unpreparedness.GabrielG.delaTorresquestionsSETIoncallinguponitsown
destruction. Alsoifthegeneralpublicasitexiststodayissuddenlymadeaware
oftheexistenceoflifebeyondearth,afewpeoplemaybeabletodigestthe
truth,whileothers,whoareverysuperstitiousmaytakeitthewrongwayas
someofitmayconflictaswhatiswrittenintheirholybooks.Justinthesame
wayasthethetheoriesofGalileoGalileiandNicolausCopernicuswere
condemnedbyCatholicChurch.Atthispointitisimportanttomentionthatitis
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notwhatIbelieve,butthisiswhatmostsciencefictionwritersandscientists
believe.

Whatismoreuncomfortableisthathowhugethecontactwith
extraterrestrialintelligencewouldbe.Thefactthatthealienlifeformvisitingus
wouldsurelybecapableofinterstellartransportationandhencewewill
encounteracivilisationwhichwillstaticallylikelytobemuchadvancedthanus.
Andjusttheirmereexistencewilltellusthingsthatwillbedifficultforhumansto
digest.

InthesurveybyGabrielG.delaTorre,morethanonethirdofthe
peoplejudgedthecosmosquestioninthetermsofreligionandbeliefthatthey
follow,ratherthankeepingreligionandscienceapart.Alsointhecaseofalien
invasion,theworldsreligionsaretendtofallapart,especiallythereligions
followedbytheminorities.Alsoitisveryunlikelythatwewillencounteranalien
lifeformwhichlookslikeitishighlyimprobabletohavethesamestructureasus
.

Whatnextafterwehaveaconfirmedcontact.

AnydiscovererofanextraterrestrialcontactwouldfirstofallcontactSETI
andfollowitsrecommendations.Andifthemessageisactuallyconfirmed,the
centralbureauofastronomicaltelegramwillbealertedaswellasthesecretary
generalofUN.Alsowemayneedtodecideacandidatetorepresentus,the
mankind.PaulDavies,thechairmanofSETIspostdetectiontaskforcemaybe
apossiblecandidateorSimonettaDiPippo,thedirectorofUNOOSA.These
twopeoplemaybeeligibletobecomeambassadorsforextraterrestrialrelations.

Buthowever,inordertotackleanextraterrestrialintelligentspecies,who
maynotonlybetechnologicallybutalsobiologicallyfaraheadofus,theworld
governmentsshouldprepareacoordinatedactionplanincaseEarthis
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contactedbyaliens,accordingtoscientists.TheyalsoarguethattheUNmustbe
givenresponsibilitytoformulateaplananddealwithextraterrestrialswhenwe
encounterthem.ItisoftensaidthattheEarthlookslikeapeacefulplanetfrom
spacebutthatisnotentirelytrue.ThegreatWallofChinaandtheBerlinWall
betweenEastandWestGermanyisclearlyvisiblefromspacesuggestingtoET
lifeformsthehumanbehaviouranddivisionbetweengovernments.Thishasput
ascaronthefaceofearth.Thismayhelpaliensbuildastrategytoeasilyinvade.

SimonConwayMorrissaysthatweshouldpreparefortheworst,evolution
onaliensworldsisdarwinianinnature.Morristhereforesaysthatlifeanywhere
elseinuniversewillhaveimportantsimilaritieswiththatonearth.Hencealiens
mightevenresembleusinsayemotions,violenceandwarandmayapproachus
toexploitus,ortotakeadvantageofus.

TedPeters,aprofessorofsystematictheologyatthePacific
LutheranTheologicalSeminaryinCalifornia,consideredwhatmighthappento
theworld'sreligionsintheeventofETmakingcontact.Hisconclusion,however,
isthatfaithinEarth'smajorreligionswouldsurviveintact."Theologianswillnot
findthemselvesoutofajob.Infact,theologiansmightrelishthenewchallenges
toreformulateclassicalreligiouscommitmentsinlightofthenewandwidervision
ofGod'screation."
"Traditionaltheologiansmustthenbecomeastrotheologians...WhatI
forecastisthis:contactwithextraterrestrialintelligencewillexpandtheexisting
religiousvisionthatallofcreationincludingthe13.7bnyearhistoryofthe
universerepletewithallofGod'screaturesisthegiftofalovingandgracious
God,"heconcludedbutlackingproperevidence.

ImaginationsRole

Peoplepresumethatanyaliensthatwanttocontactusmightwanttohurt
us.Thisiswhatpeoplethinkandimagine.Thisisbecausepeoplepredictthe
futureconsideringaliens,asspecieslikeus.Whenwemeetdifferentoriginsof
people,wealsotendtohurtthem,justlikeHinduMuslimriotsinIndiaorwhen
ColumbuslandedontheAmericancoast,itdidn'tturnedoutgoodforthenative
Americans.We,thehumansdon'tgetalongtogetherhere,onearth.Weare
afraidofeachother,don'ttrusteachother,andwetendtobeselfish.This
makesusthinkthatthealiensalsomaynottrustusandtrytogetridofus.
Nevertheless,itmakesuspreparedtofacetheworstthatweimagine.Wemay
alsoimaginethatthealiensmighthelpuswhichmakesuslearnaboutwhatkind
ofhelpwemightneed.Thismakesourstrugglewithaliensstrange,asG.K.
Chestertonsaidthatthefunctionofimaginationisnottomakestrangethings
settledbuttomakesettledthingsstrange.

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