Seeking Intelligence Far Beyond Our Own
- Paper number
IAC-12,A4,2,2,x13525
- Author
Dr. Seth Shostak, SETI Institute, United States
- Year
2012
- Abstract
If technologically active civilizations are short-lived (L < 1000 years), then the chances that SETI experiments will succeed in detecting a signal (as opposed to finding an artifact) are small. Ergo, realistic SETI programs should assume that the transmitting societies they seek are considerably more advanced than us. Simple timescale arguments, based on the pace of terrestrial technology development, imply that searches should be attuned to finding post-biological sentience. We consider how this might be done by (1) discussing the preferred galactic habitats for artificial intelligence, and (2) investigating possible signaling schemes appropriate to very long-lived intelligence.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-12,A4,2,2,x13525.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.