Has E.T. Made A Call?

[Steve Gardner]

Here's a story that some argue is in the process of being censored.

The following article, which is available currently via Google cache, first appeared on KTVU.com but was quickly removed. It was replaced with another article (found at the foot of this post).

The circumstances surrounding the way this information has been managed has aroused enormous excitement and scepticism from those enthusiasts who believe we are being contacted by alien life but that the information is being systematically withheld.

Source: Google Cache - article originally appeared at KTVU.com

BERKELEY, Calif. -- Across the globe, researchers searching for signs of life in space were abuzz this week with word that a mystery signal has been picked up by a giant radio-telescope in Puerto Rico.

Now the dilemma is -- how do you answer it?

Dan Wertheimer of the UC Berkeley SETI Project, said the dilemma is compounded by the fact that the signal may never be completely decoded.

"We probably won't be able to decode it," he said. "We'll know something's out there, but we won't know much about their civilization."

Meanwhile, Seth Shostak of the SETI Institute, said he was hopeful that future technical advances will eventually point scientists in the right direction.

"I'm cautiously optimistic we'll find something by the year 2025," Shostak said.

Later this year, scientists were scheduled to gather to determine what the return message should be.

"Personally, I'm not worried about signaling our presence to the stars, to begin with maybe the aliens are friendly, maybe they're hostile who knows," Shostak said. "But even if they're hostile, it's a long way to go -- to come here and molest us."

According to the famous Drake Equation, astronomers estimate there are an estimated 10,000 intelligent civilizations just in our galaxy, the nearest one is likely very far away, but many scientists urge caution when it comes to initiating contact.

They say it may be foolish, even dangerous for earth to assume we know all the risks.

"I don't think earthlings should transmit messages right now," Wertheimer said. "We're an emerging civilization; we're just getting in the game… We're just learning how to do this and we really don't know what we're up to, so we need to be careful."

When asked on the street, Bay Area residents voiced a variety of messages that should be sent.

Oakland's Elvis Meeker suggested a simple warm greeting.

"Hello, welcome," he said.

Jonathan Harding, of Oakland, had a lighthearted response.

"Don't eat us," he said.

Samantha Swing suggested asking for help in solving the planet's problems.

"Any materials you'd like to give us to help… We're running out of oil," she said.

Whatever the message, a recent poll revealed that people wanted one to be sent out. So now scientists will gather to figure out what that message will be.

The article has since been replaced with this:

Source: KTVU.com

BERKELEY, Calif. -- On Monday, KTVU reported scientists have received an odd signal from space and some readers may have interpreted this as a confirmed extra-terrestrial contact.

Scientists did confirm there was an anomalous radio signal and reported it late last year.

However, as SETI@home lead scientist Dan Werthimer now clarifies, "although this pulse is not well understood..." it may have a natural origin.

SETI Institute Chief Scientist Seth Shostak says the highly energetic and brief signal at first excited some researchers, who at the time thought it may be a candidate ET signal. It was received not at Arecibo, Puerto Rico, as reported, but rather in Australia.

The signal has not been confirmed as any sign of extra-terrestrial intelligence, although the Allen array in California is now actively searching for more of these signals.

[deelight]

Hmmmm.... the plot thickens I do believe we are not the only living beings and that there is something out there.
"But even if they're hostile, it's a long way to go -- to come here and molest us Shostak said" Oh really?? Who's to say they are not a million light years ahead of us in technology and can get transport to here within a matter of hours??

Would I like to send a message back to them?? As Peter Kay would say, Not in my lifetime ;D

[Steve Gardner]

Like you, I simply cannot believe this planet is the only one in the universe capable of supporting life.

I also think it's possible that some of the 'sounds' we're picking up could be being transmitted by other civilisations.

I am a very long way from accepting we've been visited, however. I know some people who think we are. They range from those who believe we are being observed to those who think our leaders are Reptilians. But I don't buy any of that right now, even though I am generally inclined to be open to conspiracy theories.

In fact, I think it's much more likely that sophisticated military programmes are responsible for churning out the sort of technically advanced craft some people have reported seeing, no doubt in good faith. There are two main reasons why I think these 'UFOs' have terrestrial origins: firstly, there was a significant rise in sightings around the end of WWII, which just happened to coincide with the acquisition of German scientists by both America (Operation Paperclip) and the USSR - scientists that had been suspected of having been involved in the development of saucer-shaped flying machines (see picture below); secondly, take a look at drawings made by those who witnessed these 'UFOs' and they are very much in keeping with contemporary design concepts.

I think it is actually quite convenient for governments to have us speculate about possible alien visitations. It's the perfect cover.


A photograph of what some alledge to be an armed German flying saucer, with a sort of rotating tank turret suspended below.