How Do You Greet An Extraterrestrial?

By Avishay Artsy on Thursday, June 11, 2009.

The SETI Institute has spent decades searching for extraterrestrial life. Think scientists with high-powered telescopes, not conspiracy theorists with tin-foil hats. Now they've launched the Earth Speaks project, and they want your thoughts on what to say if we do make contact with an alien civilization.

Suggestions are already pouring in from across the globe. Should we welcome them with open arms, or scare them away? Should we pretend we're not here and hope they miss us? Or should we ask for advice on how to keep from self-destructing?

Monday on Word of Mouth, we'll talk to Douglas Vakoch, who is heading up the new effort at SETI. Post your suggestions below or at the Earth Speaks site, and we'll be sure to beam them out to listeners, whichever galaxy they're in.

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"Hello. We will probably try to kill you, but really we mean you no harm. We are just generally really afraid of anything not in our comfort zone, and we would rather take the cautious route and make you dead before you have the chance to make us dead. Then later we can inspect you and see if we shouldn't have killed you. Greetings!"

Submitted by Tim Charles on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 14:01.

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Word of Mouth is all about what's new. Online and on-air, the show looks at our fascinating and ever-changing world, and puts the latest ideas under a microscope. Word of Mouth investigates everything from science and technology, to health and the environment, to new trends in popular culture. The show airs Monday through Thursday at noon and is hosted by Virginia Prescott.