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.

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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