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. 2024 Oct 1;14(5):513-516.
doi: 10.31661/jbpe.v0i0.2306-1625. eCollection 2024 Oct.

Stephen Hawking's Warning on Contacting Aliens: A Physics Perspective on the Intelligence Trap

Seyed Mohammad Javad Mortazavi  1 , Joseph John Bevelacqua  2 , Seyed Alireza Mortazavi  3 , Payman Rafiepour  4 , James S Welsh  5   6
Affiliations

Stephen Hawking's Warning on Contacting Aliens: A Physics Perspective on the Intelligence Trap

Seyed Mohammad Javad Mortazavi et al. J Biomed Phys Eng. .

Abstract

The search for extraterrestrial intelligence is a fascinating and important endeavor, but it raises significant ethical and safety concerns. In the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, scientists use knowledge of physics to identify potential communication methods and signals that may be used by extraterrestrial civilizations. One of the most notable scientists to highlight these concerns was the late physicist Stephen Hawking, who cautioned that actively attempting to communicate with extraterrestrial civilizations could harm humanity. While it is true that we cannot predict the intentions of any potential extraterrestrial civilizations, some scientists argue that the potential advantages of seeking contact outweigh the potential risks. Deciding to initiate contact with extraterrestrial civilizations is a complex issue that requires balancing scientific curiosity with concerns for our own safety. The "Intelligence Trap" is a concept in psychology that suggests that highly intelligent people are more susceptible to cognitive biases and flawed thinking than less intelligent people. It can be argued that Hawking's warnings may be an example of the so-called intelligence trap, as some evidence from the field of physics suggests. Nonetheless, Hawking emphasized that it is crucial for scientists and policymakers to carefully weigh the potential risks and benefits of such efforts and proceed with caution.

Keywords: Aliens; Exobiology; Fermi’s Paradox; Intelligence Trap; Planets; Solar System; Space; Stephen Hawking.

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Conflict of interest statement

SMJ. Mortazavi and JS. Welsh, as the Editorial Board Members, were not involved in the peer-review and decision-making processes for this manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
If aliens can reach the Earth, they must be far more advanced and have unimaginable and presently unattainable technologies
Figure 2
Figure 2
The Milky Way contains at least 100 billion planets. As Galactic Cosmic Radiation (GCR) can convert inorganic materials to organic materials and might allow radiolysis-powered life, life in some form or fashion could be expected on many planets in the Milky Way.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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