I am sure that some of you saw the reports last month about the U.S. government acknowledging that they could not explain nearly 150 aerial phenomena (including Oumuamua, the anomalous interstellar object that entered our solar system back in 2017) that had been documented over the last 15 years or so. While the government, of course, did not concede that these were alien crafts or any type of extraterrestrial technology, the mere fact they were willing to admit they did not know what these objects were suggests they are more willing than ever to open up a dialogue on the topic. I think in the past, the U.S. government (along with governments around the world) have always been fearful of engaging in discourse on the topic of “little green men,” and lending any credence to the idea that we may not be alone. But when U.S. Navy pilots are publicly stating they could not explain these objects and were awed by their intense speed and maneuverability (sounds familiar), it seems like we are making progress. There is no doubt this could be total misdirection and the government is actually responsible for the phenomena (or another sovereign nation we are trying to catch up to), but at the very least I think it opens up avenues for research and exploration.
To that end, the announcement of the Galileo Project led by a Harvard astronomy professor is encouraging. The focus of the project will be to confirm the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations by searching for physical objects associated with alien technology, also known as “technosignatures.” The project is establishing a global network of sensors and telescopes to gather their own data rather than rely on government data that may be classified (and possibly inaccurate or misleading?). While the project leaders acknowledge the limitations of the study, these are fascinating and long-overdue endeavors that may begin to answer that eternal question of whether we truly are alone.