Endless mysteries lurk in the depths of space. To pare the list down to eight—now, there’s a challenge

SETI 3.0:  Just when the Allen Telescope Array (ATA) is shutting down for lack of funds, visionaries are planning a granddaddy SETI project reminiscent of NASA-Ames’ 1971 pipe dream, “Project Cyclops.”  That was to be a monster array of 1,000 radio telescopes, each 100 meters across, linked as a giant interferometer to listen in on alien TV shows.  The ridiculously unaffordable proposal was never taken seriously, but the next best thing is coming: SKA, the Square Kilometer Array, to be based in South Africa and Australia.  Astrobiology Magazine described how this ambitious project, to be completed in 2024, will make the ATA look like a stick horse at the Kentucky Derby. 

Even so, new worries have come up.  If aliens repeat human history, leakage of their TV transmissions to space will be temporary, dramatically decreasing the detection window for each planet.  Furthermore, Astrobiology Magazine did not say who’s paying for all the hardware, software and personnel.  “Assuming funding is in place, construction on phase one is set to begin in 2016,” it said, which is like the philosopher’s solution to opening a lone can of tuna among survivors on a desert island: “Assume a can opener.” Presumably, the SETI faithful can hitchhike on the array that will be used for serious astronomical research.

• Even so, new worries have come up.  If aliens repeat human history, leakage of their TV transmissions to space will be temporary, dramatically decreasing the detection window for each planet.  Furthermore, Astrobiology Magazine did not say who’s paying for all the hardware, software and personnel.  “Assuming funding is in place, construction on phase one is set to begin in 2016,” it said, which is like the philosopher’s solution to opening a lone can of tuna among survivors on a desert island: “Assume a can opener.” Presumably, the SETI faithful can hitchhike on the array that will be used for serious astronomical research.

As SETI researchers continue to hope for signals, they have plenty of time to ask philosophical and even theological questions.  On Live Science, in an article adorned by a scene from Close Encounters of the Third Kind and the suggestive but discredited microphoto inside Martian Meteorite ALH 84001 that launched the contentless science of Astrobiology, Mike Wall speculated, “Would Finding Aliens Shatter Religious Beliefs?”  The short answer is, No, because religion thrived after Copernicus, who (according to popular myth) removed man from the center of the universe (watch The Privileged Planet documentary for needed correctives).  SETI Institute talking heads Seth Shostak and Doug Vakoch were given the typical softball questions for granting Live Science readers authoritative opinions about a field – theology – for which they are unqualified.

• As SETI researchers continue to hope for signals, they have plenty of time to ask philosophical and even theological questions.  On Live Science, in an article adorned by a scene from Close Encounters of the Third Kind and the suggestive but discredited microphoto inside Martian Meteorite ALH 84001 that launched the contentless science of Astrobiology, Mike Wall speculated, “Would Finding Aliens Shatter Religious Beliefs?”  The short answer is, No, because religion thrived after Copernicus, who (according to popular myth) removed man from the center of the universe (watch The Privileged Planet documentary for needed correctives).  SETI Institute talking heads Seth Shostak and Doug Vakoch were given the typical softball questions for granting Live Science readers authoritative opinions about a field – theology – for which they are unqualified.

Wall did not consider the inverse question, “Would not finding aliens shatter naturalistic beliefs?”  Nick Lane did, though.  On New Scientist, he asked an either-or fallacy question, “Life: is it inevitable or just a fluke?”  Most inhabitants of Earth believe an unstated third option, that it was designed, but to humor Mr. Lane for awhile, we watch as he puzzles over the Fermi Paradox (the “Where are they?” conundrum).  He was clearly astonished by the complexity of Earth life’s energy transport systems.  He even including a link to an animation of ATP synthase in his article. 

• Wall did not consider the inverse question, “Would not finding aliens shatter naturalistic beliefs?”  Nick Lane did, though.  On New Scientist, he asked an either-or fallacy question, “Life: is it inevitable or just a fluke?”  Most inhabitants of Earth believe an unstated third option, that it was designed, but to humor Mr. Lane for awhile, we watch as he puzzles over the Fermi Paradox (the “Where are they?” conundrum).  He was clearly astonished by the complexity of Earth life’s energy transport systems.  He even including a link to an animation of ATP synthase in his article. 

For relief of headache caused by contemplation of irreducible complexity, he practiced transcendental meditation repeating Michael Russell’s mantra that life could have started in hydrothermal vents (see  2/15/2008 and its embedded links).  “Such vents, Russell realised, provide everything needed to incubate life,” Lane comforted himself as he prepared to recline back to his naturalistic slumbers; “Or rather they did, four billion years ago.” Drifting off, the thought generated a nightmare: if life is a fluke, intelligent life might indeed be rare.  Maybe that’s why SETI hasn’t heard anybody yet.

• For relief of headache caused by contemplation of irreducible complexity, he practiced transcendental meditation repeating Michael Russell’s mantra that life could have started in hydrothermal vents (see  2/15/2008 and its embedded links).  “Such vents, Russell realised, provide everything needed to incubate life,” Lane comforted himself as he prepared to recline back to his naturalistic slumbers; “Or rather they did, four billion years ago.” Drifting off, the thought generated a nightmare: if life is a fluke, intelligent life might indeed be rare.  Maybe that’s why SETI hasn’t heard anybody yet.