26 September 2010

Earth ambassador to greet extra terrestrials

The Daily Telegraph (UK) and Sunday Times (UK, reprinted in The Australian) reported that the United Nations may appoint an ambassador as a point of contact for visiting intelligent extraterrestrial lifeforms.

Ms Mazlan Othman, director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOS) based in Vienna is expected to discuss details of the proposed new role at a meeting of the Royal Society in early October. This would then be subject to debate at the United Nations General Assembly.

Apparently, the proposal was prompted by the recent discovery of hundreds of planets orbiting other stars, increasing the likelihood of discovering extraterrestrial life.

Interesting logic, considering that those hundreds of planets have always been there despite not being previously detected by humans.

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