NASA is gearing up to send the Mars 2020 Rover to the Red Planet in July next year, which will investigate the chemical make up of Earth’s next door neighbour. One of the aims is to scour Mars for signs of microbial lifeforms, but one scientist has warned humanity might not be prepared for the “revolutionary” discovery. NASA chief scientist Jim Green believes humanity could struggle with the concept of life away from our world as it would completely change how we view the cosmos.
Dr Green told the Telegraph: “It will be revolutionary. I’ve been worried about that because I think we’re close to finding it and making some announcements.
“It will start a whole new line of thinking. I don’t think we’re prepared for the results. We’re not.
“What happens next is a whole new set of scientific questions. Is that life like us? How are we related?”
While finding microbial life is one thing, receiving a message from an advanced alien race would be in a completely different ball park.
Many experts have warned against responding to a message, as it could spell the end of humanity.
Even Stephen Hawking, who died in March 2018, suggested it might be risky contacting aliens, giving the example in his final book of when Europeans encountered native Americans, and almost killed them off in order to conquer the New World.
Prof Hawking wrote in Brief Answers To The Big Questions: “Breakthrough Message is an international competition to create messages that could be read by an advanced civilisation.
“But we need to be wary of answering back until we have developed a bit further.
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“But an extraterrestrial civilisation of very advanced technology might be a threat – and they may want to get rid of us before we become a threat to them.
“There are real evolutionary-style arguments pointing int that direction.
“Maybe we would be better off observing exoplanets for ten or 20 years until we’re in a better position to assess the risk of communication.
“The risk is too great.”
Mr Walsh said he believed Mr Häggström was correct.
Mr Walsh wrote in End Times: “I personally think Häggström is right. The potential benefits of an active messaging don’t outweigh the risks that would come with it.”