Yes there are. This is the controversial topic of METI or Messages to Extra Terrestrial Intelligences, also called Active SETI.
It's controversial - because - do we want to draw attention to ourselves at this stage? Our radio signals dissipate after a few light years - but a focused radio signal message could travel much further.
It all depends on the reason for the "Great Silence"- why we haven't heard from ET yet. And depends on what types of beings they are.
Myself, I don't think we have much to be concerned about, as - if they were looking for territory for instance, they would have discovered Earth and colonized it millions of years ago. Because the chances that they evolve to technology at the same time as us in a billions of years timescale is minute.
But - that depends on your ideas and hypotheses. Is not too hard to come up with various scenarios according to which it might be quite unwise to contact ETs until you have matured a little first.
The science fiction writer David Brin especially has argued that if there are ETs out there, we should listen first before responding.
He is not totally against contacting them but thinks that individuals shouldn't just send messages to the stars without first consulting at a wider level about whether to do it and what messages to send.
As it is, anyone, if they have the right equipment (say, access to a big radio telescope), could send a message to the stars, to some particular star, and there are no laws, and no guidelines, and they can send whatever might come to mind as something they'd like to say to ET.
For his views on the topic see
Shouting At the Cosmos
It's controversial - because - do we want to draw attention to ourselves at this stage? Our radio signals dissipate after a few light years - but a focused radio signal message could travel much further.
It all depends on the reason for the "Great Silence"- why we haven't heard from ET yet. And depends on what types of beings they are.
Myself, I don't think we have much to be concerned about, as - if they were looking for territory for instance, they would have discovered Earth and colonized it millions of years ago. Because the chances that they evolve to technology at the same time as us in a billions of years timescale is minute.
But - that depends on your ideas and hypotheses. Is not too hard to come up with various scenarios according to which it might be quite unwise to contact ETs until you have matured a little first.
The science fiction writer David Brin especially has argued that if there are ETs out there, we should listen first before responding.
He is not totally against contacting them but thinks that individuals shouldn't just send messages to the stars without first consulting at a wider level about whether to do it and what messages to send.
As it is, anyone, if they have the right equipment (say, access to a big radio telescope), could send a message to the stars, to some particular star, and there are no laws, and no guidelines, and they can send whatever might come to mind as something they'd like to say to ET.
For his views on the topic see
Shouting At the Cosmos
About the Author
Robert Walker
Writer of articles on Mars and Space issues - Software Developer of Tune Smithy, Bounce Metronome etc.Studied at Wolfson College, Oxford
Lives in Isle of Mull
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