Why we shouldn't hide our problems from ETs

Why we shouldn't hide our problems from ETs

www.newscientist.com

For nearly 50 years, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) has scanned the heavens with radio telescopes for signs of alien technology. At the same time, scientists have painstakingly crafted messages to send in reply. When NASA launched its Voyager missions in 1977, for example, both spacecraft carried audio recordings depicting the diversity of life and culture on Earth (see gallery).

But never have those messages truly represented all of humanity. On 15 May that will change..

(visit the link for the full news article)

SETI is assuming we have not made contact with alients. What if we already have?

If ETs view our messages and audio and video, how will they decipher it. Their life and chemistry/biology maybe completely different. Thier senses could be different. Perhaps they dont hear or see, but feel their environment is some other way.

Humans face important issues and problems today, on earth. The article says, and rightly so, that we must depict our problems in our messages to ETs.

Another question that comes to my mind is that just as we have sent messages to ETs, why havent any similar messages reached us from within our galaxy, from intelligent Aliens?

www.newscientist.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 18-4-2009 by sunny_2008ny]

Firstly because SETI is only searching on a very narrow band of frequencies. And secondly because we are only scanning for radio waves, who is to say that an ET would use radio?