nivek
As Above So Below
The authors suggest that if an alien civilization had intentions of conquering our planet without using resources such as a fleet of warships that they would probably use a computer virus or some form of electronic contamination to bring down our electronic civilization...
This link is for the PDF of the paper, it's a good read...
INTERSTELLAR COMMUNICATION. IX. MESSAGE DECONTAMINATION IS IMPOSSIBLE
Michael Hippke
Sonneberg Observatory, Sternwartestr. 32, 96515 Sonneberg, Germany
John G. Learned
High Energy Physics Group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Hawaii
ABSTRACT
A complex message from space may require the use of computers to display, analyze and understand. Such a message cannot be decontaminated with certainty, and technical risks remain which can pose an existential threat. Complex messages would need to be destroyed in the risk averse case.
The search for extraterrestrial intelligence has provoked many critical discussions on technical and philosophical levels. It is much debated whether contact with ETI would benefit or harm humanity, and whether mankind should or should not keep quiet in order to protect Earth from threats, or even “cloak” our planet using lasers to compensate for Earth’s transit signatures.
One of the scenarios considered in the literature is the reception of an ETI message through electro-magnetic radiation, e.g. through a radio telescope. Alternatively, a message might be found in the form of, or through, an alien probe, as first suggested by Bracewell (1960). It was suggested to search the solar system for non-terrestrial artifacts, particularly for starships in addition to classical SETI.
This link is for the PDF of the paper, it's a good read...
INTERSTELLAR COMMUNICATION. IX. MESSAGE DECONTAMINATION IS IMPOSSIBLE
Michael Hippke
Sonneberg Observatory, Sternwartestr. 32, 96515 Sonneberg, Germany
John G. Learned
High Energy Physics Group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Hawaii
ABSTRACT
A complex message from space may require the use of computers to display, analyze and understand. Such a message cannot be decontaminated with certainty, and technical risks remain which can pose an existential threat. Complex messages would need to be destroyed in the risk averse case.
The search for extraterrestrial intelligence has provoked many critical discussions on technical and philosophical levels. It is much debated whether contact with ETI would benefit or harm humanity, and whether mankind should or should not keep quiet in order to protect Earth from threats, or even “cloak” our planet using lasers to compensate for Earth’s transit signatures.
One of the scenarios considered in the literature is the reception of an ETI message through electro-magnetic radiation, e.g. through a radio telescope. Alternatively, a message might be found in the form of, or through, an alien probe, as first suggested by Bracewell (1960). It was suggested to search the solar system for non-terrestrial artifacts, particularly for starships in addition to classical SETI.
