Communication with Extraterrestrial Intelligence
Douglas A. Vakoch
State University of New York Press
<em>Highlights the most  recent developments in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), and  advocates a diverse range of approaches to make SETI increasingly more powerful  and effective in the years to come.</em><br><br>In April 2010, fifty years to the  month after the first experiment in the Search for Extraterrestrial  Intelligence (SETI), scholars from a range of disciplines—including astronomy,  mathematics, anthropology, history, and cognitive science—gathered at NASA’s  biennial Astrobiology Science Conference (AbSciCon) for a series of sessions on  the search for intelligent life. This book highlights the most recent  developments in SETI discussed at that conference, emphasizing the ways that  SETI has grown since its inception. The volume covers three broad themes:  First, leading researchers examine the latest developments in observational  SETI programs, as well as innovative proposals for new search strategies and novel  approaches to signal processing. Second, both proponents and opponents of  “Active SETI” debate whether humankind should be transmitting intentional  signals to other possible civilizations, rather than only listening. Third,  constructive proposals for interstellar messages are juxtaposed with critiques  that ask whether any meaningful exchange is possible with an independently  evolved civilization, given the constraints of contact at interstellar  distances, where a round-trip exchange could take centuries or millennia.<br><br>As we reflect on a half-century of  SETI research, we are reminded of the expansion of search programs made  possible by technological and conceptual advances. In this spirit of ongoing  exploration, the contributors to this book advocate a diverse range of  approaches to make SETI increasingly more powerful and effective, as we embark  on the next half-century of searching for intelligence beyond Earth.<br><br>“Vakoch’s  volume is an excellent overview of the cutting-edge research in the field of  SETI … it will be enjoyable reading for anyone interested in the SETI  enterprise which, if successful, is sure to have a transformative effect on us  all.” — <em>Fortean Times</em><br><br>“…offers a comprehensive snapshot of news and views from the SETI community.” — <em>Guru</em><br><br> “…a wide-ranging look at many elements of SETI and beyond.” — Space Review