Confessions of an Alien Hunter with Seth Shostak (2021)

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

Brian Keating

Science, Physics, Natural Sciences

4.7 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 27 August 2024

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What is the current state of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI)? Why do scientists often raise their eyebrows at UFO sightings? And what might the future of SETI look like with ongoing technological advancements? I had the privilege of diving into these fascinating topics with the professional alien hunter Seth Shostak! Seth Shostak is an astronomer and author who directs the search for extraterrestrials at the SETI Institute in California—trying to find evidence of intelligent life in space. He is also committed to getting the public, especially young people, excited about astrobiology and science in general. Seth hosts “Big Picture Science,” the SETI Institute’s weekly radio show. The one-hour program uses interviews with leading researchers and lively and intelligent storytelling to tackle big questions like: What came before the Big Bang? How does memory work? Will our descendants be human or machine? What’s the origin of humor? Big Picture Science can be found on iTunes and other podcast sites. — Key Takeaways: 00:00 Intro 02:05 Judging a book by its cover 06:49 The Carl Sagan Directors Award and the reorganization of the SETI Institute 09:45 Area 51, Harry Reid and the resurgence of interest in UAPs 11:59 What do you think about new scientific pursuits around UAPs and SETI? 16:47 What do you think about the Drake Equation? 21:18 When can we stop looking? 24:52 What technology could alien civilizations be using? 30:34 How do you handle the criticisms that you are anti-alien? 33:26 What are the latest SETI projects? 37:22 Final questions 44:09 Outro — Additional resources: ➡️ Learn more about Seth Shostak: 💻 Website: https://sethshostak.com/ ✖️ Twitter: https://x.com/SethShostak 📚 Confessions of an Alien Hunter: https://a.co/d/da0IGpk — ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating 🔔 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Join my mailing list: https://briankeating.com/list ✍️ Check out my blog: https://briankeating.com/cosmic-musings/ 🎙️ Follow my podcast: https://briankeating.com/podcast — Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known. Make sure to follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Project Blue Book, Project Grudge, Project Sign, all these investigations into alien spacecraft
0:06.0	always come back with well 80% of them, 90% of them we can explain as
0:10.6	Frozeic phenomena.
0:11.8	10% we can't.
0:13.2	I think the consequences of that
0:14.8	are going to be kind of interesting
0:16.4	because suddenly this idea that
0:18.8	will prove the existence of UFOs by disclosure
0:22.0	is going to be shown to not work. of those
0:25.0	by disclosure is going to be shown to not work.
0:30.0	Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
0:37.0	Open the pod bay doors.
0:39.0	Dr Seth Schostak of the SETI Institute, a friend of mine, a supporter of all things astronomical,
0:49.6	of all things, astrophysical, of all things extraterrestrial, and a great believer of the mission
0:57.6	of the very first finger puppet I ever got, Seth, you don't have one of these yet, this is a a finger puppet of the late great
1:04.9	Carl Sagan who's widow Andrea and whose daughter Sasha Sagan have honored me
1:11.0	by being guests on the into the impossible
1:13.3	podcast where we talked to billionaires and brainiacs and
1:16.6	Sean Seth rather you're both of course a billionaire
1:19.8	am I a billionaire
1:26.3	that's something new. I'm going to go to the bank right after this.
1:31.8	It's all that sweet, sweet, sweet, steady, well, you know, in all these movies, there's always some eccentric billionaire you know lurking
	...

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