Are we alone in the Universe? This age old question has gained momentum recently with scientific heavyweights such as Stephen Hawking entering the debate. A newer question has recently been posed, however: should we announce ourselves to other intelligent life in the universe by broadcasting a message into the depths of space? Some scientists consider this strategy, termed ‘Active SETI’, to be a dangerous one.
In this physics lesson, students carry out research to develop their understanding on both sides of the scientific and moral arguments for and against the Active SETI approach and work in teams to attempt to design a communication of their own.