Top scientist urges Earth to get in touch with extra-terrestrial life

USA: A leading expert in extraterrestrial research has said that now is the time to contact alien life.

Dr Seth Shostak, director of Search For Extraterrestrial Intelligence (Seti), told the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference that Earth needs to reach out to the universe as soon as possible.

He told the BBC: "Some of us at the institute are interested in 'active Seti', not just listening but broadcast something maybe to some nearby stars because maybe there is some chance that if you wake somebody up you'll get a response.

"A lot of people are against active Seti because it is dangerous.

"It is like shouting in the jungle. You don't know what is out there, you better not do it.

"If you incite the aliens to obliterate the planet, you wouldn't want that on your tombstone, right?"

For more than 30 years Shostak's researchers have been using radio telescope facilities in an attempt to detect signals.

Leading experts will soon meet at another American Association for the Advancement of Science event to discuss any next potential steps.

But by reaching out to alien life, there are concerns that it could lead to the planet's obliteration.

Dr Shostak said: "I don't see why the aliens would have any incentive to do that.

"Beyond that, we have been telling them willy-nilly that we are here for 70 years now.

"They are not very interesting messages but the early TV broadcasts, the early radio, the radar from the Second World War - all that has leaked off the Earth.

"Any society that could come here and ruin our whole day by incinerating the planet already knows we are here."