Reaction to alien signal

[Voyager275]

Very simple, what would happen if we got a radio signal from an extraterrestrial radio signal? Would we respond or just let it pass by? Obviously if we responded we would reveal our location, and would stay concealed if we didn't respond. What do you think? Also if we did respond, what would we send them?

Edited September 13, 2015 by Voyager275

[Shpaget]

Depends on the signal.

And how would we respond anyway? By radio? That could take thousands of years to reach them.

[Bill Phil]

We're already broadcasting our position to the Universe. All it takes is time and a really big antenna.

[Wallygator]

If the signal is something like, "30 years ago you killed my father, now prepare to die", we should be worried a bit, but nothing we could likely do about it.

If it is, "for a limited time only, we will be delivering free dyson spheres", I think we should take them up on it.

Seriously though, shouldn't it be "react" rather then "respond"?

[Jouni]

The Three-Body Trilogy by Liu Cixin has an interesting answer.

We should destroy them. If we can detect them, they can probably detect us. Because communication over interstellar distances is too slow to establish and maintain trust, we can't be sure that they're not already trying to destroy us. (And they know that we can't be sure that they're not already trying to destroy us, and we know that they know that we can't be sure that they're not already trying to destroy us, and so on.) Preemtive strike is the only solution. The only way to survive in the universe is to kill everyone who knows that you exist.

[Shpaget]

Is Liu Cixin from Krikkit?

Stuff we are broadcasting to the space is puny. Virtually all out transmissions are not aimed up, but rather down or sideways.

Arecibo message was strong, but lasted for less than three minutes and was very directional. That too was insignificant.

[Sampa]

Depends on the signal.

And how would we respond anyway? By radio? That could take thousands of years to reach them.

or if we understood what was being said? That is a big thing is the language barrier. I highly doubt aliens speak English or any other Earth-born language.

[regex]

The Three-Body Trilogy by Liu Cixin has an interesting answer.

The old "too dark park" philosophy. It would be interesting if all apex beings used stealth to survive out of fear of other apex beings.

[jwenting]

half the religious and political leaders would claim it's not real, a scam by the person reporting it.

The other half would claim it's a direct result of their work and thus they are the spokespeople of the alien race and know the Meaning.

Wars bloodier than any seen before will break out over who gets to be the person or group to represent mankind to the aliens.

[Camacha]

What do we do? Sit still and quiver.

or if we understood what was being said? That is a big thing is the language barrier. I highly doubt aliens speak English or any other Earth-born language.

It might be though, but if they are not trying to be purposefully confusing, we might stand a chance. Not only do we have a plethora of different languages and types of languages here on Earth (human realm), we also have many years of experience with encryption and, more importantly, decryption. Those message are purposefully made to be as complex and unlegible as possible and are more mathematic in nature than human.

If aliens make any attempt to communicate on common grounds, however shaky those might be, we stand a chance.

[Sampa]

What do we do? Sit still and quiver.

It might be though, but if they are not trying to be purposefully confusing, we might stand a chance. Not only do we have a plethora of different languages and types of languages here on Earth (human realm), we also have many years of experience with encryption and, more importantly, decryption. Those message are purposefully made to be as complex and unlegible as possible and are more mathematic in nature than human.

If aliens make any attempt to communicate on common grounds, however shaky those might be, we stand a chance.

I agree, though, it's possible some may have already attempted. Ever heard of the species from the Pleiades Sector?

[Camacha]

I agree, though, it's possible some may have already attempted. Ever heard of the species from the Pleiades Sector?

Not that I know of. What is that?

[Sampa]

They are supposedly a friendly human-like species trying to contact us to help move us further into the space age. I have also done research and discovered that there are other species (please note that most of the sources were checked by other authoritative sources). There are other beings out there that are reptilian. They would bode ill-will toward us, humans as they just want to conquer Earth and enslave the inhabitants. The only thing they fear, is us moving into the colonization phase.

[Shpaget]

David Icke is not authoritative.

There is an episode of Star Trek Enterprise (the one with Picard) where they argue with an alien species over this or that. The issue is that their fancy translator thingy doesn't work, since the aliens use language that is so different than human, it's inconceivable to us. They end up using English, since aliens are smart, but the point is that most human languages work on similar concepts, while an alien language can be literally anything and completely beyond understanding.

[Aethon]

Discounting a theory because of its' long association with crackpots, gives crackpots entirely too much credit.

[Camacha]

They are supposedly a friendly human-like species trying to contact us to help move us further into the space age. I have also done research and discovered that there are other species (please note that most of the sources were checked by other authoritative sources). There are other beings out there that are reptilian. They would bode ill-will toward us, humans as they just want to conquer Earth and enslave the inhabitants. The only thing they fear, is us moving into the colonization phase.

I thought we were talking about real life, not sci-fi. My mistake

[hugix]

We send Jodie Foster to space.

[jwenting]

I thought we were talking about real life, not sci-fi. My mistake

There's people thinking such nonsense is real life... Remember Erich von Daenicken and his "chariots of the gods"? "ancient aliens" theory. It's bonkers, but millions of people believe it to be fact.

[John FX]

We set up a colony in another system and get them to make contact and see what happens to them.

If we don`t have the tech to do that then we should not venture out until we do.

[dudefinal]

What time would this signal reach us. Here is my thinking. If we get a signal stating war with interstallar beings today we are doomed. If we get a signal stating war in lets say 2100 then we would either hide or try to fend them off. If we got a signal stating war in 2200 we would probably destroy them. If it was a signal of good tidings then our species would probably share information as they may or may not be an interstallar species.

[jwenting]

why do you think in a century we'll be on par militarily with an alien race trying to conquer or destroy us?

Of course given interstellar distances and timeframes, any message of such a nature would either arrive thousands of years AFTER the attack fleet (if they have FTL capability) or thousands of years BEFORE the attack fleet (if they don't, in which case any sane race would know that 1) sending the message at the same time as the fleet is folly and 2) sending the fleet is pointless. They'd either not send the message and/or not send the fleet).

By the time a message from another star reaches us, most likely any race sending it would have either evolved technologically at least as far as we have in the same time (meaning, from stone age hand axes to iPhones and electromagnetic rail guns) or they'd have collapsed and either died out or reverted to the stone ages (which may very well happen to us at any moment for a variety of reasons as well).

[dudefinal]

why do you think in a century we'll be on par militarily with an alien race trying to conquer or destroy us?

Because our technolological knowhow is increasing exponentially.

[Bill Phil]

Because our technolological knowhow is increasing exponentially.

It'll plateau soon enough.

[Camacha]

What time would this signal reach us. Here is my thinking. If we get a signal stating war with interstallar beings today we are doomed. If we get a signal stating war in lets say 2100 then we would either hide or try to fend them off. If we got a signal stating war in 2200 we would probably destroy them. If it was a signal of good tidings then our species would probably share information as they may or may not be an interstallar species.

Why do you think those 200 years make much of a difference? And, more importantly, why do you think the alien civilization would not advance as well?

[dudefinal]

Why do you think those 200 years make much of a difference? And, more importantly, why do you think the alien civilization would not advance as well?

Oh I did not think of that... welp we would be doomed... XD