Opinion Today: Now is the perfect time to contact aliens

On Earth, we're divided. Maybe this could help unite us.

View in browser|nytimes.com November 18, 2024 By Neel V. Patel Staff Editor, Opinion In Liu Cixin's novel "The Three-Body Problem," an alien civilization receives an interstellar radio message from Earth and decides to reach back out. The ensuing response from Earth allows the aliens to deduce the location of the planet, and they prepare to invade. For most readers, the lesson was clear: Our species should avoid telegraphing its presence, lest we invite a threat to our doorstep. What a cynical way to think about life in this universe. Douglas Vakoch agrees. A researcher who specializes in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, he believes any intelligent aliens who might exist out there might be going through a similarly difficult adolescence as our species is. More likely, they are probably older — and have found a way to age out of that adolescence and mature into a civilization that is smarter and kinder. If we're able to establish contact with them, maybe we can learn a thing or two about how to better our own civilization. Yes, we're talking about phoning E.T. Fifty years ago, the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico fired off a radio message that acted as our species' introduction to the rest of the universe. In a guest essay for Opinion, Vakoch puts forth a case for why now is the perfect time to follow up on that message, and begin a serious effort to contact aliens. There's no question that it's a strange idea. But we're living in strange times. An eccentric science project would fit the vibes pretty well. Vakoch fully acknowledges there's no guarantee of success. Maybe we still lack the proper technology. Maybe we really are alone in the universe. But, he argues, such a project has the potential to unify us and make us think about our place in the universe in ways we very rarely contemplate. That's a huge part of adolescence — for an individual as well as for a civilization. Read the full essay here. Brittany Nelson Guest Essay Humans Are Divided and Unhappy. What Better Time to Contact Alien Life? Fifty years ago, the famed Arecibo message was fired into space to make contact with intelligent extraterrestrials. Now is the time to try again. By Douglas Vakoch Here's what we're focusing on today: Editors' Picks Guest Essay Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Is the Absurd Spectacle We Deserve The exhibition fight was always meant to be an empty spectacle. But in an attention economy, substance will never compete with overhyped emptiness. By Will Leitch More From Opinion The Conversation Avengers, Assemble All eyes on Trump and his cabinet picks. By Gail Collins and Bret Stephens Guest Essay What's Right and Wrong About Trump's Defense Secretary Pick Pete Hegseth may not be qualified, but his nomination at least represents a legitimate policy change after over 20 years of failed wars. 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By Zeynep Tufekci Jessica Grose Why Women Find Watching True Crime Comforting It's a black and white moral universe where victims get justice. By Jessica Grose The Opinions Hungary Shows Us How a Second Trump Term Might Play Out Autocrats have a playbook. 9 MIN LISTEN Guest Essay I'm 16. On Nov. 6 the Girls Cried, and the Boys Played Minecraft. On the day after the election, it seemed boys and girls woke to a new reality. By Naomi Beinart Phil Jung letters Taking Away the Car Keys: Is It the Doctor's Duty? Readers disagree with a guest essay urging mandatory reporting of impaired drivers. Also: The power of plutocrats; a suicide in jail; jaywalking in New York. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. Games Here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle and Spelling Bee. If you're in the mood to play more, find all our games here. 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