If NASA or someone else found proof of some form of alien life do you think they would tell the world? Part of me thinks that unless it was something within our own solar system they probably wouldn't.
The reason for this is that just the knowledge of life beyond this planet could have a drastic impact on the world as we know it. While there are many people who think or simply don't care if life exists outside our world, the implications of what it means to the billions of religious sects could be overwhelming and it is hard to determine just how the world would react. Would it go out of control?
So then, if it was something so far away that we may never have the chance of encountering in any foreseeable future, would it make sense to open that can of worms? Why not wait until you can actually get a craft/probe there to observe? If it's going to take 100+ (probably 1000's or longer) of years to even get to that point, do you risk upsetting culture and balance?
Might it make a difference if it was simply bacteria, or perhaps a world that is in something similar to our Jurassic period? Would they tell us if they found intelligent life and they had alerted it and it was now headed for us? Maybe they would deny it until we were enslaved?
Even if reports slipped out on the internet, I would imagine it would quickly be overtaken by conspiracy theorists (you know, the ones who always are quick to yell let me grab my tin foil hat).
Looking at the internet as a whole and how people act towards each other, part of me feels that we as a world are not ready to know for certain, especially any form of intelligent life.
The reason for this is that just the knowledge of life beyond this planet could have a drastic impact on the world as we know it. While there are many people who think or simply don't care if life exists outside our world, the implications of what it means to the billions of religious sects could be overwhelming and it is hard to determine just how the world would react. Would it go out of control?
So then, if it was something so far away that we may never have the chance of encountering in any foreseeable future, would it make sense to open that can of worms? Why not wait until you can actually get a craft/probe there to observe? If it's going to take 100+ (probably 1000's or longer) of years to even get to that point, do you risk upsetting culture and balance?
Might it make a difference if it was simply bacteria, or perhaps a world that is in something similar to our Jurassic period? Would they tell us if they found intelligent life and they had alerted it and it was now headed for us? Maybe they would deny it until we were enslaved?
Even if reports slipped out on the internet, I would imagine it would quickly be overtaken by conspiracy theorists (you know, the ones who always are quick to yell let me grab my tin foil hat).
Looking at the internet as a whole and how people act towards each other, part of me feels that we as a world are not ready to know for certain, especially any form of intelligent life.