Jingszo !

A prolific sci-fi author ponders the psychological impact of an alien encounter.

Key points

• Many relevant experts think that the universe likely contains numerous intelligent lifeforms.

• First Contact would probably be the most important event in the history of humankind.

• Our perspective on where we fit into the universe has changed radically through scientific discovery.

What is your best guess of how first contact would happen?

PC: I think the most likely form of first contact will be at a distance. We’re already detecting molecules in the atmosphere of exoplanets that could be the product of biological life. Perhaps one day, we’ll detect not only biological life at a distance, but technological life in the form of pollution in the air of an exoplanet, or radio signals from another planet. Any conversation we start will require patience, as talking to an intelligent species 15 light years from us would mean we’d need to wait 30 years for a response.