In my SF WIP, a signal is detected from space that is basically interpreted to be instructions for modifying the human genome. The signal is detected worldwide, is not a secret and was received before the start of the novel's events. Its origin is unknown.
I'd like to know a whole lot more about it, what language it's in (presumably a Human language such as English, and how did They learn it?, If not, how did WE learn what THEY are saying? It seems unlikely that several people operating independently would figure it out at the same time), how is the origin unknown (only a directional antenna/telescope could pick up a signal from outer space, unless the signal's transmitter used a
huge amount of energy [in which case they're so far advanced they'd have no reason to talke to us], so those who picked it up would know with good precision what direction it came from), and more. But I'm quite "science-minded" and inquisitive (those two are somewhat reduntant), so mine might not be the usual reaction/response.
I know the reactions of my characters and the organisations I have in my novel to the signal, but I've avoided until now working out how the world might have changed in response to the signal's detection. I'm approaching it by looking for individual reactions and then extrapolating to larger groups.
I think many people will see the news similar to an unlikely underdog sports team getting into and winning the world championship game. Perhaps mildly interesting, but of no immediate direct value or concern.
I voted "something different," because I suspect the reaction to be disbelief. It's much easier to chalk something like that up to those wackos who really want to believe than to seriously think about the consequences. If it became irrefutable, was analyzed by scientists, and and confirmed in academic journals, then I'd expect a reaction more akin to the news of a successful cloning, with most of the interest being in policy debate.
I'm in the 'I wouldn't believe it' camp.
I'd also be very skeptical.
You're one of the DANGEROUS people!
You'd have to make me believe it was real first, though I'm not really sure how that would happen since I don't believe everything science or the media tells me is fact is fact because science takes all the cool-factor out of the world for me and the media is never above lying to make ratings.
I pretty much agree with you about the media, but it appears we have very different views of what science is. I see science as a method (or collection of methods) for discovering things about the physical world. Many see science as only the results and "announcements" of such methods, and appear to know very little about the methods themselves. For one thing, scientists are rarely as sure and as "factual" about their conclusions as the media shows them to be.
Not even other scientists believe "everything science tells me is fact." Skepticism and asking hard questions of other scientists and their methods are important parts of science.
Science is the SOURCE of most of the cool-factor of the world for me...
And even after I believed it was real, really, how would it affect my day to day life? Modifying the human genome is the stuff of far beyond my life that I don't see how it'll affect me until it boils down to my personal decision whether or not to have it done to me or if someone I love has it done to them.
That's a good point, new medical procedures aren't generally available until they're done on a few volunteers to determine efficacy and any bad effects, then made available initially at a high cost before it becomes
Outside of the momentary joy of having the SETI Program validated, I honestly don't see any difference between an alien giving us the answer and some scientist somewhere discovering it for themselves.
It really depends on what "modifying the human genome" means. There may be several ways to do it, each with its own limitations. There are surely fundamental limitations to what could be done, but I don't even know enough to guess at anyting other than the grossest ones (such as a body that weighs less than 20 pounds probably couldn't support an adult human brain).
"Feeling inadequate? 3nlarge Your P1anet!!!"
