As astronomers scour for more powerful ways to find extraterrestrial civilizations, some researchers warn we need to be cautious.

As astronomers are scouring for more powerful ways to find extraterrestrial civilizations, some researchers warn we need to be wary of this ambition.

Lucianne Walkowicz, an astrophysicist at Adler Planetarium in Chicago, USA told NBC news agency that contact with aliens could be catastrophic for humanity.

“It is possible that if we actively transmit the message, with the intention of attracting the attention of a civilization other than outer space, the civilization we are communicating with will not necessarily be interested in the interests of the universe. It could destroy life on Earth or it could promote better habitability on this planet. We don’t know for sure,” Ms. Walkowicz said.

Physics genius Stephen Hawking, we’re playing a dangerous game trying to make contact with an extraterrestrial civilization. In a recent interview, Hawking said that if aliens discover Earth, they are more likely to want to colonize and colonize our planet.

However, Jill Tarter, co-founder and former director of the Seti Institute, an organization that specializes in the search for intelligent extraterrestrial beings, doesn’t think so. Ms. Tarter argues that, if aliens find a way to travel across space, they too will be wise enough to pursue peace and friendliness.

Basic protocol for first contact has been in place since the 1980s, but these are merely guidelines rather than an action plan for an actual alien contact. According to Seth Shostak, who leads efforts to find radio signals from extraterrestrial civilizations, we still have a lot of work to do to implement such an action plan. Mr. Shostak likened our current response to extraterrestrial beings “will be like the ancient Neanderthals in the event of a sudden encounter with the US Air Force”.

Mr. Shostak is currently a senior astronomer at the Seti Institute. In the 1990s, he chaired a committee that drafted a “post-discovery diplomacy” for researchers searching for extraterrestrial civilizations.

“If you receive a signal, check it … tell people … and do not broadcast any reply without international consultation,” the manual said.

However, all these guidelines have remained unchanged since then. They are also not mandatory. The United Nations is also not very interested in updating them, Mr. Shostak said.