Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
One of the most irresistible questions in sci-fi stories about aliens is what our reaction will be when we learn of their existence. Horror? Bewilderment? Relief? Euphoria? It’s a scenario we love to imagine again and again, like in Steven Spielberg’s recent movie, “Disclosure Day.”
But how would humanity react if we learned of intelligent aliens? Can you actually study that? It turns out there’s a whole lab inside SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, that is thinking about what the public response might be and how to prepare for it.
Host Ira Flatow sits down with astronomer Lucian Walkowicz and philosopher-ethicist Chelsea Haramia, co-directors SETI’s Discovery and Futures Lab, to talk about the research that’s been done to answer these questions.
Guests:
Dr. Lucian Walkowicz is an astronomer and science advisory board member at SETI.
Dr. Chelsea Haramia is a senior research fellow at the University of Bonn in Germany, and a philosopher-ethicist at SETI.
Other episodes you may enjoy:
• How Close Are We To Answers About Aliens? (sciencefriday.com/segments/search-for-aliens?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?)
• The Human Obsession With Aliens Goes Way, Way Back (sciencefriday.com/segments/human-obsession-aliens-first-contact-book?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?)
Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com (sciencefriday.com/segments/what-happens-if-we-find-alien-life?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?) . (sciencefriday.com/segments/parenting-tips-from-the-animal-kingdom/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri)
Subscribe to this podcast. (pod.link/73329284) Follow our show on Instagram (instagram.com/scifri/) , TikTok (tiktok.com/@scifri) , Facebook (facebook.com/scifri) , and Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social) @scifri and sign up for our newsletters (sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri) . Got a science question that’s keeping you up at night? Call us: 877-472-4374
One of the most irresistible questions in sci-fi stories about aliens is what our reaction will be when we learn of their existence. Horror? Bewilderment? Relief? Euphoria? It’s a scenario we love to imagine again and again, like in Steven Spielberg’s recent movie, “Disclosure Day.”
But how would humanity react if we learned of intelligent aliens? Can you actually study that? It turns out there’s a whole lab inside SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, that is thinking about what the public response might be and how to prepare for it.
Host Ira Flatow sits down with astronomer Lucian Walkowicz and philosopher-ethicist Chelsea Haramia, co-directors SETI’s Discovery and Futures Lab, to talk about the research that’s been done to answer these questions.
Guests:
Dr. Lucian Walkowicz is an astronomer and science advisory board member at SETI.
Dr. Chelsea Haramia is a senior research fellow at the University of Bonn in Germany, and a philosopher-ethicist at SETI.
Other episodes you may enjoy:
• How Close Are We To Answers About Aliens? (sciencefriday.com/segments/search-for-aliens?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?)
• The Human Obsession With Aliens Goes Way, Way Back (sciencefriday.com/segments/human-obsession-aliens-first-contact-book?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?)
Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com (sciencefriday.com/segments/what-happens-if-we-find-alien-life?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?) . (sciencefriday.com/segments/parenting-tips-from-the-animal-kingdom/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri)
Subscribe to this podcast. (pod.link/73329284) Follow our show on Instagram (instagram.com/scifri/) , TikTok (tiktok.com/@scifri) , Facebook (facebook.com/scifri) , and Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social) @scifri and sign up for our newsletters (sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri) . Got a science question that’s keeping you up at night? Call us: 877-472-4374
