Imagine we detect an interstellar object entering our solar system. At first, astronomers think it's just another natural interloper like Oumuamua or comet Borisov. We're warming up to the idea of visitors from other parts of the galaxy, though they've been inanimate so far.
But then, what if it becomes clear that something's different about this visitor? What if it moves unnaturally or somehow behaves purposefully? What if it takes up a stable orbit somewhere? What if, as we gather more evidence, it becomes clear that it's a probe of some sort sent to us intentionally? What if it communicates with us?
Suddenly, as if thrust into a science fiction plot, humanity is in a totally different situation. What do we do?
We can't be certain that there will ever be First Contact like this. But there could be. If not for us who are alive now, then possibly in humanity's distant future if we have one.
We can't rule this out, and a lot of thought has gone into what our response should be. Some of the thinking revolves around preparing weapons or other defensive capabilities. But at least one person thinks we should address it by developing a formal plan for diplomacy with an ETI (Extraterrestrial Intelligence.)
John Gertz, who is not a working scientist, is the author of a new paper titled simply "Interstellar Diplomacy." It is available on the pre-print server arxiv. Gertz is also the author of other works on SETI, and his writing has appeared in Scientific American.
"One way or another, contact with aliens may be imminent," Gertz writes. "There has been no planning among nations for the aftermath of a first detection." Aftermath is a good word because if we're contacted by an ETI, it would be a dramatic shake-up for humanity. A lot could go wrong. Gertz says we need to come together on a diplomatic plan that outlines our response and our responsibilities.
I think he's dead wrong about there being no planning among nations for the aftermath of a first detection. To read more, click here.