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Is SETI a Security Risk?

Posted by Hemos on from the a-whole-new-level-of-paranoia dept.

Dotnaught writes "Richard Carrigan, a particle physicist at the US Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois, fears the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) may be putting the earth at risk. As reported in the Guardian, Carrigan frets that alien radio signals could pose a security risk. The report cites a 2003 paper entitled "Do potential Seti signals need to be decontaminated?" but Carrigan's website has more details. Basically, he's calling for isolation of SETI computers and additional security measures. He writes, "To paraphrase Cocconi and Morrison for the possibility of a malevolent SETI signal ...the probability of a contaminated SETI signal is difficult to estimate; but if we never consider it the chance of infection is not zero."" Frankly, I'm more worried about some phishing malcontent then I am about the Grays, but maybe that's just me.

2 of 527 comments (clear)

  1. Is SETI a Security Risk? for EARTH by anandpur · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    First I thought SETI is risk to earth itself. What if aliens are listning us and preparing for something big!

  2. Threats to earth? by beh · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    It's interesting how scientists in the US are really pondering something that has such a remote chance of success - while at the same time going completely against Kyoto targets.

    I think the climate change has a higher chance of causing us major pain, than that we'll catch the "alien virus" through Seti@home any time soon.

    Oh - and even if the current US government should be right that the Kyoto targets aren't far reaching enough - but that shouldn't be ANY excuse not to start off trying to at least achieve THOSE. If the US really thinks Kyoto wouldn't be enough - then DO MORE instead of procrastinating while doing (next to?) nothing...