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Astronomy/Search on extraterrestrial intelligence

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Expert: - 12/4/2006


Question
I would like to know how much money should be spent on searching extraterrestrial intelligence? Thanks

Answer
Hello, Mimi

In answer to your question, I would say a minimal proper amount of money would be from $5- 10 billion a year. This would not only afford enough money for *simultaneous* searchs on multiple channels, wave bands (radio, x-ray, visible, etc.)  - but also ample funds to promote new research, new approaches in research - including lab methodology, tests etc. that seek to duplicate extraterrestrial environments.

As a measure of reference, $5 billion - while it sounds like a lot of money - is about equal to what we are now spending per MONTH in Iraq, with very little to show for it!

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Philip Stahl

Expertise

I have forty years of experience in Astronomy, specifically solar and space physics. My specialties include the physics of solar flares, sunspots, including their effects on Earth and statistics as applied to astronomical investigations.

Experience

Astronomy: more than forty years experience starting with construction of my own simple telescopes. Worked at university observatory in college, doing astrographic measurements. M.Phil. degree in Physics/Solar Physics and more than ten years as researcher.

Organizations
American Astronomical Society (Solar Physics and Dynamical Astronomy divisions), American Mathematical Society, American Geophysical Union

Publications
Solar Physics (journal), The Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, The Proceedings of the Meudon Solar Flare Workshop (1986), The Proceedings of the Caribbean Physics Conference (1985). Books: 'Selected Analyses in Solar Flare Plasma Dynamics', 'Physics Notes for Advanced Level'.

Education/Credentials
B.A. Astronomy, M. Phil. Physics

Awards and Honors
American Astronomical Society Studentship Award (1984), Barbados Government Award for Solar Research

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