No State May Answer Alien Signals Alone

(VIENNA) – The International Academy of Astronautics has updated its recommendations for what to do upon detecting possible signs of extraterrestrial intelligence.

For the first time in over 15 years, the document states that any decision to send a response to a potential extraterrestrial civilisation must only be made after international consultations.

Under the new principles, researchers who record a possible signal or other evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence must first carry out thorough verification through independent observations.

Only after confirmation should the information be brought to the attention of the international scientific community, relevant international organisations, and the public.

The updated recommendations further determine that no single state, organisation, or scientific group should independently make a decision to transmit a message to a possible extraterrestrial civilisation.

The document stipulates that such a decision should be made only after broad international consultations, including with the participation of the United Nations.

The update marks the first revision of the International Academy of Astronautics’ recommendations on contact with extraterrestrial intelligence in over 15 years.

Meanwhile, former US President Barack Obama has dismissed claims that the American government is concealing evidence of aliens or extraterrestrial spacecraft.

Speaking on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in May, Obama commented on his previous remarks that aliens are real, explaining that he only meant the possibility of life existing somewhere in the universe.

“One of the things you learn as president is that the government is terrible at keeping secrets,” Obama said. He argued that if the US government truly possessed evidence of aliens, the information would have entered the public domain long ago. “Some guy guarding the facility would have taken a selfie with one of the aliens and sent it to his girlfriend,” he added.

Obama noted that he hopes for the existence of extraterrestrial life and joked that he could become a good messenger for Earth during first contact. He stressed, however, that first contact has not happened yet.

His statement came amid new promises from US President Donald Trump to release very interesting materials about UFOs.