Briefs

Space.com (11/11/03); David, Leonard

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory physicist Richard Carrigan, Jr., believes it is possible that signals from extraterrestrial beings could be similar to computer viruses, and he calls for Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) project researchers to step up their vigilance and implement a decontamination protocol for potential SETI transmissions.

In a paper he presented at the 54th International Astronautical Congress, Carrigan noted that early radio transmissions from Earth have already reached the receiving distance of approximately 400 stars; assuming there are civilizations that far out, some may have already responded with Earth-bound signals that could either be benevolent or malevolent.

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