We may not have found any definitive proof of extraterrestrial life just yet, despite plenty of hope among scientists.
But if we were to ever come to an answer in the form of alien biology or technology, breaking the news to the general public could be much more difficult than one might think. As Time reports, the subject comes with an enormous amount of baggage, from preconceived notions of what alien life could look like from popular culture to fears over the implications of confirming we’re not alone.
“The search for life in space isn’t just a science question,” Portland State University Brianne Suldovsky told the magazine. “It’s a moral question, it’s a philosophical question, for some it’s a religious question.”
Suldovsky compared communicating the unknowns and managing fear to lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. Except, when it comes to xenobiology, “you’re talking about planetary protection.”
“Managing public fear is going to be incredibly challenging, however it is possible to communicate in a way that at least gives the public information about how afraid they should be and what they can do to protect themselves,” she said.
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