First Contact? - Something in Space is Sending Earth Signals Like Clockwork

originally posted by: Stupidsecrets
SETI no longer gets Federal funding for listening to signals. All private donations. It's technically a business today because they get Federal dollars for their child outreach and college programs that teach about space along with private donations.

Not sure who detected this signal but regardless, it's a waste of time unless of course they are running a business.

I would disagree with this statement. What may be interpreted as a "waste of time" by one person may be considered well worth the time by another. Nevertheless, it is an individual's time to spend as he or she may wish. If it harms no one, then one should be allowed to allocate all of the time, energy, resources, etc., that belongs entirely to themselves, on whatever human endeavor they believe to be worthy of the expenditure.

SETI, in my opinion, may fall under that category.

And I readily admit my bias in this regard and mean no offense...

I say happy hunting. My one caution, however, would be to be a bit careful about broadcasting back in a real hurry. We should find out everything we can about 'their' intent before we put out any welcome mats. Perhaps a foregone conclusion (a la S. Hawking) - but we might assume anyone cruising through our own galaxy (not one 500 million LY away) may be on a bit of a hunting expedition of their own...

Something odd caught my eye while reading through the OP's link......

And although the scientists don’t mention it, there’s no ruling out that this could be an alien life-form attempting to make contact with other lifeforms in the galaxy.

Human scientists

have been fascinated with the concept of using radio waves to try to make contact with extraterrestrial intelligence since the 1890s, and countries have built a number of radio telescopes over the past century to listen out for incoming extraterrestrial radio waves.

sputniknews.com...< br />


What other kind of scientist do WE have

a reply to: Quadrivium

Considering the prior paragraph talks about the possibility of aliens life-forms attempting to make contact, I can understand where the writer is coming from.

The writer was probably trying to be a bit clever in pointing out how human scientists are trying to do the same thing that alien scientists were potentially doing by sending a signal into space.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

Here's a lecture that will get you thinking. I contacted him last summer on another subject:

Why is There NO Record of Ancient Humans? - Randall Carlson

originally posted by: Outrageo
What may be interpreted as a "waste of time" by one person may be considered well worth the time by another. Nevertheless, it is an individual's time to spend as he or she may wish. If it harms no one, then one should be allowed to allocate all of the time, energy, resources, etc., that belongs entirely to themselves, on whatever human endeavor they believe to be worthy of the expenditure.

SETI, in my opinion, may fall under that category.

Pretty much. If people want to look for aliens and it's not taking anything out of anyone's pocket or causing any problems, it's as legitimate a way to spend one's time as fishing or building houses or watching TV. We live in a society of abundance, and that gives us the opportunity to invest time and resources on projects that may or may not have a payoff. Like going fishing but not catching anything. Maybe the only difference is that instead of catching a trout, they might find something that will radically, fundamentally change the way human beings see ourselves in the grand scheme of the universe, for better or worse. It's worth a try.

Astronomers want public funds for intelligent life search

Lets hope things are movng forward alittle, get more scientific research.

originally posted by: Waterglass
a reply to: LookingAtMars

Here's a lecture that will get you thinking. I contacted him last summer on another subject:
Why is There NO Record of Ancient Humans? - Randall Carlson

Because they don't exist. The perfected human was manifested fully formed (just like the fully functioning ecosystems already in place) to inhabit those ecosystems. Apes are/were never humans. What are the sub-humans? Practice beings or just mistakes.