The Bunker – News without the nonsense

First Contact: We'll Meet Aliens Soon, Then What?

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As scientists seek extraterrestrial life, what would we do if we actually found it? How would we manage first contact, and could we even communicate with aliens? Franck Marchis, a senior planetary astronomer from the SETI Institute, unpacks the prospect with Andrew Harrison – and the idea aliens might already know we’re here, but we’re too boring for them to care.


  • “The most important question is intelligent life.” 
  • “This discovery will not be a big surprise for a lot of humans on this planet.” 
  • “If we find a civilisation slightly more advanced to us, maybe 100 years, they may be much more intelligent in terms of technology.” 
  • “We may not see them because perhaps their technology is invisible to us.” 
  • “We have been visible as a civilisation for at least 100 years, so they know we are here if they have slightly better technology.” 
  • “I believe that there is microbiological life everywhere, but the key thing is the I in SETI - intelligence.”
  • “It's obvious if you analyse our planet that there is a civilisation there.”
  • “Maybe the future of our civilisation is purely mechanical or technological rather than biological.”



    • https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast


    Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant Producer: Elina Ganatra. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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