Dispatch #3 - SETIcon II or Why the World is Not Ending December 2012

Convention Badge

by Lupe Fernandez

In June, I attended a conference organized by The Institute for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Among the many topics discussed were:

• The Next Big Science Revolution - (Hint: Artificial Intelligence)
• How to Survive Your Trip to Mars - (Hint: Wear a Spacesuit)
• All Aboard the 100 Year Starship - (Hint: You think flying to New York is a long trip?)
• Did the Big Bang Require a Divine Spark? - (Hint: If there's a Divine Spark, was there a Divine Lighter?)
• How to Survive an Alien Infection - (Hint: Our microbes are better then their microbes.)
• Human vs. Robots Who Should Explore Space? - (Hint: I'm ready for my one-way trip to Mars.)
• How Do You Invent an Alien Language? - (Hint: Don't use ambiguous photographs.)

Me, Dr. Frank Drake and Intern Amanda Aguilera

My favorite moment was meeting Dr. Frank Drake. For those of you not in the know, Dr. Drake was the first radio astronomer to listen signals from the stars, and founded SETI back in the good old days. A certain Senator Proximire thought Dr. Drake was a kook and awarded him the infamous Golden Fleece Award for wasteful government projects.

For shame, Senator! At long last, have you no decency?

Other notables in attendance:

• Bill Nye - The Science Guy
• Robert Picardo - TV actor who played the hologram doctor on Star Trek Voyager.
• Mary Roach - Author of Stiff, Bonk and Packing for Mars.
• Richard Rhodes - Author of The Making of the Atomic Bomb
and...
• My new favorite astronomer and personal friend of mine - well not actually a personal friend, but I did give him the idea of the Divine Lighter - Seth Shostak.

And what, pray tell, does this post have to do with writing? Let's look at language. Particularly, the word "believe." Do you believe in intelligence life exists beyond the Earth? What? You Do Believe.
Belief only requires faith, not facts.

Electromagnetic Spectrum - Believe it or Not

I don't have to "believe" in the propagation of the electromagnetic spectrum to know that my radio, TV and cell phone works. I believe I will publish a manuscript one day. Alas, I have no observable phenomena to back up my claim. I just keep the faith, baby.

For those you who believe the alleged Mayan Calendar prediction of the End of the World as We Know it on December 2012, I offer words of consolation.

It ain't happening.

End of the World

During the session Cosmophobia: Doomsday 2012 and Other Fiction Science, the august panel, including two astronomers, assured us that the alleged Mayan Calendar prediction has no basis in fact. However if you wish to profit by this internet driven event, Seth Shotak suggests finding someone suffering from Cosmophobia and offer to buy their house for $10,000 dollars. Come January 2013, you will own a new house.

As for me, I will gaze into the night sky and wonder about worlds upon worlds, and imagine landscapes unknown and accents unborn.

I'd like to thank my friend, Amanda Aguilera, for introducing me to the SETI Institute. She's an intern there, and as far as I'm concerned, has the best job in the world.