Lawmakers in the House of Representatives recentlyย proposed legislationย forย NASAโs future that includes some intriguing language. The space agency, the bill recommends, should spend $10 million on the โsearch for technosignatures, such as radio transmissionsโ per year, for the next two fiscal years.
The House billโshould it survive a vote in the House and passage in the Senateโcan only make recommendations for how agencies should use federal funding. But forย [Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, or] SETIย researchers like [Jill] Tarter, the fact that it even exists is thrilling. Itโs the first time congressional lawmakers have proposed using federal cash to fundย SETI in 25 years.
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[T]echnosignatures refer to a wide assortment of potential markers of advanced beings that could conceivably be spotted by telescopes, on the ground or in space. Perhaps other technologically advanced civilizations use laser transmissions to communicate. Maybe they have forgedย blast shieldsย to protect themselves from invaders, or built enormous spheres to harness their starโs light and power their operations. Maybe, like us, theyโve lit their surfaces with shimmering city lights or padded their atmosphere with pollutants.Share this article
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Today, after 25 years of discoveries and breakthroughs and progress, the suggestion that we might somedayโand perhaps someday soonโstumble upon an alien civilization, even the remains of one, doesnโt seem quite so silly anymore.
Read full, original post:ย Congress Is Quietly Nudging NASA to Look for Aliens
