Abstract:
A detection of extraterrestrial intelligence will profoundly i mpact all inhabitants of our planet. The scientific community has realiz ed that the key to ensure a beneficial and rewarding encounter is educat ion and preparation, and these two characteristics apply to many facets o f a detection. Specifically, the SETI Institute produced the "Decla ration of Principles Concerning Activities Following the Detection of Ext raterrestrial Intelligence," a step by step procedure that will serv e as a established guideline amidst the confusion, questions, and debate that may follow a detection. Furthermore, they have researched the best methods of releasing the news of a detection, hoping to lessen any immedi ate negative impacts, and have also employed many techniques-through bo oks, movies, research guides, and television programs-to educate societ y on SETI issues before an encounter. In addition, the SETI Institute ha s turned to the history of science to find past applicable examples that may parallel the long-term consequences of extraterrestrial intelligence detection. Last, this organization is in the process of preparing a seco nd protocol, "Declaration of Principles Concerning Sending Communica tions with Extraterrestrial Intelligence," which will prepare a resp onse to send following contact. In this paper I will analyze each of the four components-the first protocol, immediate societal impacts, long-t erm societal impacts, and the second protocol-and discuss their relevan ce to SETI, Earth and its inhabitants, and our Universe.
Part I: "Declaration of Principles Concerning Activities Foll owing the Detection of Extraterrestrial Intelligence"
Over the thirty-seven years since the inception of the SETI In stitute, the science, technology, and focus of the Search for Extraterres trial Intelligence have greatly matured and expanded from its original fo recasts and expectations. Because of the increased technological sophist ication of SETI searches, new questions have surfaced, no longer asking, "How can we succeed?" but instead "What if we succeed?&quo t; Following the adage "forewarned is forearmed," the scientif ic community around the world realized they needed to plan for an actuali zation of their efforts: a detection of extraterrestrial intelligence. As Allan E. Goodman states, the "function of international law is of ten one of addressing situations before they arise, especially if some am biguity or confusing circumstances can be expected" (p. 104). Surel y a detection of extraterrestrial intelligence falls in this classificati on, as confusion and ambiguity are two of the least possible negative rea ctions to expect following such a momentous discovery. Indeed, a great d eal of present day outer space law addresses prospective situations. Spe cifically, two UN outer space treaties delineate the assistance given ast ronauts following an emergency landing on foreign territory, and the 1967 Outer Space treaty mandates the release of information concerning phenom ena discovered in outer space that may endanger the lives of astronauts ( p. 104). As these illustrate, several outer space protocols concern futu re astronomical events, and therefore a procedure preparing for contact i s not a revolutionary concept.
What would happen after detecting an extraterrestrial intelligence ? It seems absurd to start pondering this monumental question only after contact, because, as stated previously, a prepared society with an estab lished, widely accepted protocol can handle the situation and the inevita ble surprises more efficiently, intelligently, and rationally. Therefore , a procedure would not need to be created and debated amidst the high em otions and tension surrounding detection. Furthermore, along with new, a dvanced technological searches since the birth of the SETI Institute, an increased number of countries began to conduct independent research in SE TI. Unfortunately, these new international endeavors came hand in hand w ith additional controversies because many countries were unwilling to coo perate on establishing post-detection standards in existing international forums, such as the United Nations, where other debated issues complicat ed a compromise. Therefore, an established protocol initially associated with the SETI Institute, and not a governing body officiating a wide ran ge of controversial issues, would allow a detection procedure to gain int ernational, scientific and diplomatic acceptance solely based on its own content. Independent standards, not associated with disputed issues, wou ld more likely transcend national rivalries.
The SETI Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics be gan discussing possible post-detection actions over fifteen years ago, an d in 1989 the Board of Trustees of the Academy and the Board of Directors of the International Institute of Space Law approved the "Declarati on of Principles Concerning Activities Following the Detection of Extrate rrestrial Intelligence." Over the next three years, the Committee o n Space Research, the International Astronomical Union, members of the Co mmission J of the Union Radio Scientific International, and the Internati onal Astronautical Federation endorsed this document. This protocol is i ntended as a series of guidelines for individuals or organizations, natio nal or international, engaged in carrying out radio searches for extrater restrial intelligence. In July 1992, the SETI Committee of the Internati onal Academy of Astronautics sent the declaration to all such individuals and organizations, requesting an endorsement. As of now, however, this declaration has not been endorsed openly by governments and international boards, such as the United Nations. A great deal of the implementation of the declaration needs this support, and therefore the SETI institute i s currently trying to gain their political support.
The declaration delineates several points concerning the verificat ion, news release, and future actions following an extraterrestrial detec tion. To begin, prior to making any public announcement, the discoverer should verify that the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence, rather than some other natural phenomenon, is the most plausible explanation fo r the evidence. The discoverer should promptly inform all other observer s and research organizations associated with the declaration, establishin g a network to enable continuous monitoring of the signal or phenomenon. Next, after concluding the discovery appears to be credible evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence, observers throughout the world should be i nformed through the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams of the Inte rnational Astronomical Union. Past experiences have proved this method e ffective. For example, when observers first noticed the supernova 1987a, appearing in The Large Magellanic Cloud, news of this unexpected event w as immediately sent to the IAU Telegram Bureau, and within hours specific scientific observations were under way (Boyce p. 85). Moreover, the dis coverer will have the privilege of making the first public announcement, and this confirmed detection should be released promptly, openly, and wid ely through scientific channels and the public media. Furthermore, if co ntact occurs through electromagnetic signals, the International Telecommu nication Union should protect the appropriate frequency, minimizing trans missions on the relevant frequencies in order to prevent interference fro m other signals. Last, a response should not be sent until the appropria te international consultations have taken place, and the SETI Committee o f the IAA should continue to review the procedures for detection, data ha ndling, and analysis, and maintain lists of experts willing to serve on a n international committee to address these issues ("Declaration" ; p. 1 ).
Because the content, presentation, and reliability of these announ cements will largely influence the immediate impact and reactions by soci ety, one of the most important aspects of this declaration deals with the release of news to the general public. As a result, the SETI Institute has composed recommendations outlining steps to inform educational instit utions and the news and entertainment media following the detection of ex traterrestrial intelligence. First, an identified weakness in the networ k of schools, libraries, museums, and universities is a disproportionate amount of materials on UFO's and pseudoscientific aspects of extraterre strial life alongside reliable SETI materials. Therefore, an updated lis t of SETI books and teaching materials will be made available for classro oms and libraries, and routine updates will be given to the leading profe ssional organizations for teachers about SETI and news of detection ("Cultural" p. 5). Next, because the news media will be the main so urce of information for people during an extraterrestrial detection, the SETI Institute will attempt to minimize sensational misrepresentations. To illustrate, NASA researchers will timely and routinely inform the news media with appropriate information, and they will designate a standby te am of scientists and journalists to respond to exaggerated or erroneous r eports. As well, they are conducting studies to discover public response s to revolutionary scientific announcements and the effectiveness of the style, content, and presentation of these broadcasts (p. 6). Last, in th e past the entertainment media has depicted fantastic scenes of space tra vel and terrifying stories of alien encounters. Because of the difficult y in predicting their responses following detection, it is impossible to foresee whether they will simply allow the scientific evidence to speak f or itself or tend to sensationalize a discovery. Although the competitiv e nature of their profession and their responses to past events foreshado w the latter behavior, nevertheless, the SETI Institute is attempting to provide them accurate information in hope that they will relay the truth. For example, they will host a non-technical seminar for producers, scre enwriters, television executives, and programmers to demonstrate how Proj ect Phoenix, the current SETI search, works and to give hypotheses on pos sible detection scenarios. As well, following detection, briefing materi als will also be made available to the entertainment media, giving them u p to date news releases (p. 6). Hopefully, through the previous plan the SETI scientific community will be able to provide accurate information a nd decrease sensationalization of extraterrestrial intelligence detection.
Part II: Immediate Consequences on Society
Besides from actions taken post-facto, the immediate impact of dis covery also largely depends on the actions taken today. The real danger for human culture is not simply contact, but instead, as Roberto Pinotti states, "to be ready and willing to face such an historical experien ce" (p. 112). An unprepared Earth has everything to lose, and only an educated planetary culture can positively face a confrontation. Scien tists have suggested that the impact of discovery depends on the methods of releasing the news of detection, the readiness of society to accept th e impact, and the comprehension of the signal's method (Paprotny p. 93). Two of these three factors can be directly affected through the acti ons we take today, and therefore it is important to capitalize on this he ad start through preparation and research. To illustrate, the SETI Insti tute is conducting studies, described earlier, to discover the most effec tive method of releasing news, and they have developed a global education program concerning man's role in the universe. Robert Pinotti is a st rong advocate of the last preparation, believing a "universal awaren ess in future generations is the only key to facing, with all of our limi ts and possibilities, the impact of contact" (p. 112). I agree that proper education will directly correlate with positive attitudes towards SETI, and we need to start planting this understanding at an early age; individuals who have accepted SETI endeavors since childhood will more li kely have a positive understanding and adaptation to contact as adults.
Reactions to detection can range from indifference to mild curiosi ty to catastrophic anxiety. The factors influencing human responses incl ude attributes of individuals, such as gender, race, religion, and intell igence, and attributes of the environment, such as economic situations an d frames of reference ("Cultural p. 3). More importantly, I feel ed ucation directly correlates with positive attitudes toward SETI. This ed ucation is two-fold; the education of the general public on SETI issues a nd the education of SETI researchers on methods to better prepare and inf luence human responses to an ETI signal detection.
The SETI Institute is currently undertaking several projects to sway t hese responses. To illustrate, in many cultures, specific terms concerni ng strangers and aliens initiate various emotional responses. For exampl e, the word "alien" in the English language carries negative co nnotations and may induce fear and panic in a society, whereas the term e xtraterrestrial intelligence is more passive and acceptable. Through res earch the SETI Institute can adopt accurate language free of unexpected n uances and preempt possible negative responses. Furthermore, they are re searching public perceptions of extraterrestrial intelligence and cultura l conceptions of science and technology by trying to identify and clarify the responses of various individuals to the Apollo and Viking missions a nd the discovery of possible life on a Martian meteorite. Last, research ers are frequently using popular media, including movies, computer games, popular music, and books, to present SETI themes. Carl Sagan, one of SE TI's most well-known proponents, greatly increased public interest and exposure through his best-selling novel and movie Contact, opening many people's eyes to the possibility of an encounter with extraterres trial intelligence ("Cultural p. 3).
Several reasons support stable, positive reactions following contact. To begin, contact will most likely not be a surprise, and instead a dete ction will result from the deliberate efforts of society, such as from th e current SETI project, Project Phoenix. Initial contact will most likel y be detectable only by specialized instruments rather than a physical en counter which our entire race would experience. Specifically, a civiliza tion would probably employ techniques similar to ours, sending signals in to the galaxy and hoping for a response, instead of space travel, a much harder approach. These signals will have a smaller impact than a physica l visit from an alien civilization. Furthermore, contact is taken for gr anted by a large part of the population, and many people feel it has alre ady occurred in the form of UFO sightings and abductions. Although this is not necessarily beneficial to SETI work, this will lessen the impact o f a real discovery for millions of people. Last, many humans will be exc ited by the emergence of a new frontier, eagerly awaiting answers to ques tions that have been asked for ages about life in our Universe. Several scientists agree that we will gain a great deal of knowledge and wisdom b y establishing radio contact with an advanced civilization. In the novel The Cassiopeia Affair by Harrison Brown, a chemist and a supporte r of SETI, the fictional president of the United States expresses his joy following the reception of a signal from Cassiopeia 3579:
"Think of the wonderful things we can learn from our brothers of Cassiopeia. The chemistry of their life processes, the properties of the ir planet, and the Galaxy as viewed from their location. We believe they are technologically more advanced than us. Their knowledge may enable u s to leapfrog over centuries of development, providing a cosmic technolog y assistance program for this emerging earth." (Finney p. 118)
< /DIR>Passages and thoughts such as these convey a positive anticipation, su ggesting rewards from contact with extraterrestrial intelligence will far outweigh any fears or possible danger.
On the other hand, there are several factors that may produce unstable , negative reactions to contact with extraterrestrial intelligence. To b egin, contact may cause cultural misunderstanding and may conflict with r eligious beliefs, therefore deeply troubling and scaring various individu als around the world. In the past, following confrontation with another world, the technology, science, economy, religion, philosophy, and ethics of some societies have disintegrated against the structures of the more powerful civilizations. For example, many of their original characterist ics of African and pre-Columbian societies were destroyed by contact with Europeans. Alvin Toffler describes this culture shock, stating, "t his phenomenon accounts for much of the bewilderment, frustration, and di sorientation that plagues when dealing with fundamentally different socie ties" (Pinotti p. 110). Moreover, widespread panic may occur becau se of press releases, false implications, and cults predicting the downfa ll of our planet. The twentieth-century psychologist Jung suggested that , following contact, "the reins would be torn from our hands and we would find ourselves 'without dreams,' that is we would find our inte llectual and spiritual aspirations so outmoded as to leave us completely paralyzed" (Finney p. 117). Although the War of the Worlds b roadcasting describes an invasion and not communication with extraterrest rial intelligence, the reactions of thousands of panic-stricken Americans from a rumored invasion of Martians shows how deeply the concept of alie ns affects humans. Will a future contact with ETI produce fear, panic, m ass hysteria, and authority crisis all over the world? We are given hope that through the steps described earlier, the SETI Institute can prevent this disaster from occurring.
Aside from simply positive and negative impacts, contact with extrater restrial intelligence raises a more fundamental question. As Ben Finney asks, what will happen when we come into contact with another intelligent species from a distant star system with a biological basis, evolutionary history, and cultural development entirely independent from our own? (p 120) Comprehending an entirely unrelated extraterrestrial civilizati on through the medium of one-way radio transmissions, or at best slow two -way conversations, will be an arduous task. As Philip Morrison, one of the founding fathers of the SETI movement states, "The recognition o f the signal is the great event, but the interpretation of the signal wil l be a social task comparable to that of a very large discipline, or bran ch of learning" (Finney p. 120). Cultural material, not in the univ ersal language of math and science, will be unfortunately difficult to de cipher, and this information would teach us a great deal about an alien c ulture. The inability to unlock this new world may cause confusion and f rustration in the general public, but hopefully a society that is educate d in SETI background will have the patience to wait for these answers, an d once provided, the necessary background to accept and assimilate the un covered knowledge.
Part III: Long Term Consequences
Although it is impossible to predict the exact long-term consequen ces of contact with an extraterrestrial civilization, historical analogue s provide a glimpse of possible scenarios. The consequences of detection of a signal have sometimes been compared to physical contact between cul tures on Earth, such as clashes between the Europeans and the American In dians or the Cortez and the Aztecs. However, an extraterrestrial signal will not be analogous to physical contact, but instead to intellectual co ntact and the diffusion of ideas among cultures. Therefore, I support St even Dick's reference to the transmission of Greek science via the Arab s to the Latin West in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, an example m any historians call "encounters between civilizations in time" (p. 521). This deals with the transmission of knowledge from non-contemp orary civilizations across time, a strong parallel to what can be expecte d from contact with extraterrestrial intelligence.
The political fallout from the end of the Roman Empire in the Lati n West by 500 AD brought with it the loss of Greek learning in science as well as other areas of knowledge. Only in the twelfth century was it re covered, via the Arabs, and scholars began to translate Greek treatises i nto Latin. Western Europe, which had been struggling to keep the intelle ctual flame alive, now had to assimilate many new ideas. As one historia n of science recently noted, "First a trickle and then a flood, the new material radically altered the intellectual life of the West" (D ick p. 523). While our society is not analogous to the Middle Ages, the influx of new ideas would be analogous to a significant flow of informati on from an extraterrestrial civilization to one probably less knowledgeab le but eager to learn. The army of translators involved in the recovery of lost learning parallels the scientists, cryptographers, and linguists participating in any attempt to decipher an extraterrestrial signal. The result of the recovered Greek knowledge speaks for itself. The thirteen th century-a century of Thomas Aquinas and Roger Bacon-was characteri zed by the attempt of its best scholars to reconcile the new Greek and Ar abic knowledge with Christianity. Surely the century following an extrat errestrial signal bearing significant knowledge will also be marked by th e attempts of scholars to reconcile terrestrial and extraterrestrial know ledge in many areas-science, religion, and the arts.
Part IV: Sending a Reply
What happens after contact with extraterrestrial intelligence? Th e inevitable next step concerns sending a reply, but this momentous topic presents numerous controversial issues. Considering this issue only aft er a reply is received may be too late, for after the location, channel, and other technical characteristics of the signal are revealed, several c ountries and organizations may rush to immediately send the first reply, presenting only one political ideology, religious doctrine, military stan ce, or world view. Therefore, expanding on Article VIII of the first pro tocol, which calls for procedures on sending a reply, the SETI Institute has begun to compose the first draft of the "Declaration of Principl es Concerning Sending Communications with Extraterrestrial Intelligence," providing a final answer to several controversial questions.
First, should we be considering this issue now? I believe the answer is yes, for if scientists wait until a signal is detected and then attemp t to produce a message, their voices will be lost in the uproar surroundi ng the detection. By creating a reply prior to detection, the scientific community's suggestions will be more influential in the ensuing debate. I feel that it is better to look ahead and plan now for future event s.
Second, should a reply be sent? Although a signal would need to be sp ecifically scrutinized, in general, unless hostile intentions are implied , I feel a reply should be sent. If our searches lead to a discovery, we cannot simply stop at this point. Receiving the signal is only the begi nning, and the communication that follows is the true reward.
Furthermore, should humanity reply as a whole? I strongly feel we sho uld speak united, and this is the accepted opinion of today. Donald Gold smith has pointed out that if a civilization receives jumbled, contradict ory, or incoherent replies from Earth, they may not bother to answer. Th erefore, I agree with his belief that, "there is a high price that a civilization such as ours will pay for not concentrating on a single, hi gh-power message" (Tough p. 99).
Moreover, who should speak for the Earth? This question is surrounded by a great deal of debate, and GCM Reijnen presents the plan I support, proposing two groups of individuals, Group A and Group B (p. 146). Group A will consist of scientists, competent to verify the artificial charact er of the radiation or other means of contact with ETI, beyond any reason able doubt, and to decode and decipher the signal contained in the radiat ion. Group B will represent mankind, and the main criterion for members of this group will be their intelligence and expertise in various areas s uch as history and religion. The combined groups will form Group C, and t hey will decide if, and if so, in what form and with what contents a repl y will be sent. This reply message, a product of a representative segmen t of Earth's intellectual community, will focus attention on a planet-w ide response.
Perhaps the most important question is what should be the content of a message? This is a very controversial debate because of the wide range and endless types of possible replies. How should we summarize our histo ry, our civilizations, our people, and our intentions? What approach sho uld be used? A widespread scientific opinion is that the message content s should express the following key points: intelligent life is present o n Earth, the message has been received and understood, the location and s ize of the Earth in the Universe, the fact that the reply is on behalf of humanity, the main physical features of human beings and other species, the desire to establish and maintain friendly relations with the senders of the ETI signal, and the wish to receive more messages.
Last, I will analyze the implications of international law and how the y relate to SETI activities. Three decades ago the United Nations decide d to legally regulate activities regarding outer space with a treaty enti tled "Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celesti al Bodies." Article X, particularly relevant to SETI, states that p arties agree to inform the Secretary General of the UN as well as the pub lic and the international scientific community of the nature, conduct, lo cations, and results of their activities in outer space (p. 124). Furthe rmore, the 1979 "Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and other Celestial" states that the UN Secretary General, the scientific community, and the public should be promptly informed of any phenomena they discover in outer space, including the indication of organ ic life, which could endanger human health (p. 124). Notably, both of th e concepts from these United Nations treaties are contained in the " Declaration of Principles Concerning Activities Following the Detection o f Extraterrestrial Intelligence," and therefore, although the declar ation is not explicitly supported by the United Nations, many basic conce pts are covered under these established treaties.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, what if we succeed? If, after decades o f research, thousands of searches, and millions of individual dreams, our Earth comes into contact with extraterrestrial intelligence, we can feel safe that many intricate details of the ensuing process have been carefu lly considered and planned. The first protocol "Declaration of Prin ciples Concerning Activities Following the Detection of Extraterrestrial Intelligence" will be followed, and hopefully the efforts of the SET I Institute to lessen a negative impact will pay off. The planned reply composed under the "Declaration of Principles Concerning Sending Com munications with Extraterrestrial Intelligence" will be customized t o fit the received message, and the new modified response will be sent. However, although these protocols will be greatly beneficial, perhaps in the near future we will take additional steps to insure a better preparat ion for detection. For example, there is currently not an agreement call ing for an immediate emergency meeting of the Heads of States or the Secu rity Council, setting in motion pre-established actions following contact , and the SETI Institute should try to gain support for the declarations from governments and the United Nations. Even so, we can feel safer that the protocols have already been greatly debated and revised, producing s trong guidelines to follow. In the ultimate reaction following contact, humans will realize the profound impact this discovery will have on our p resent and future and embrace this new frontier. Although some may argue that a detection from extraterrestrial intelligence would divide our wor ld over a reply and future actions, I optimistically believe that instead humanity will join together in this momentous discovery, dismissing triv ial misunderstandings and differences and instead looking at the bigger p icture: we are not alone. It is important to remember that no amount of research and preparation can fully prepare us for detection of extraterr estrial intelligence, and we can only hope this discovery, in the end, gi ves us a greater understanding of our role on Earth and our role in the U niverse.