A new push in the search for alien life

Future Tense

NASA's new telescope will revolutionise the search for non-Earth based life. It's to be called the Habitable Worlds Observatory and will be powerful enough to peer into the atmosphere of planets outside of our solar system.

But if, or when, we do find evidence of a life form beyond our solar system what do we do next? And who should decide whether or even how we make contact? A new research hub at the University of Andrews is among those drawing up a plan.

Guests

Dr Megan Ansdell – Program Manager, Habitable Worlds Observatory, NASA

Professor Adam Frank – Astrobiologist and astrophysicist, University of Rochester, New York

Dr John Elliott – Computational linguist and Coordinator of the SETI Post Detection Hub, University of St Andrews

Professor Ian Roberts — Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, University of Cambridge