81. Why Bother Searching for Aliens?

Jill Tarter, a pioneering astronomer and inspiration for the character in Carl Sagan's 'Contact', shares her lifelong quest for extraterrestrial intelligence. She discusses the nuances of searching for intelligent life and the complexities of validating potential signals. Tarter reflects on the evolution of detection methods and the challenges posed by human noise. She also touches on the implications of discovering alien civilizations and the cultural impact of her work, advocating for a unifying vision as we look to the stars.