Podcast appearances and mentions of james benford

In Episode 50, the season finale of Season 5 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom was joined by James Benford, Director General of Surveys, Economic and Social Statistics at Office for National Statistics, where they have a candid discussion regarding the turnaround job at hand after recent public scrutiny and high-profile errors.They dig into what went wrong, the impact on trust, and how new leadership is refocusing priorities, rebuilding quality, and resetting culture, plus more, which includes;How a turnaround mandate is reshaping ONS culture, leadership, and structure after the June review.Why transparent acknowledgment and correction of high-profile errors is central to rebuilding trust.How grand tech ambitions drift without clear use cases and why that must change.Why building a single data platform without a clear use case became a costly lesson in purpose-led design.How ruthless focus and prioritisation are creating space for excellence in core statistics.Why survey response rates are falling globally and how ONS is adapting to the new reality.How digital-first, user-centred survey design can lift completion and reduce bias.How alternative data sources add power and why third-party data quality and governance matter.Why multidisciplinary teams are non-negotiable.How recognising data and AI as economic assets will reshape national accounting.Why GenAI and ML can raise quality while saving time.How “Stats GPT” style access can make official statistics easier to find, query, and use.Find more information on the general reset underway at the ONS, and the detail on the statistics and the surveys discussed in this episode.If you wish to provide feedback on what ONS is currently doing, please use this mailbox:

John Hunt presents to The Space Show are ready! Sunday, 10-5-25For the quick summary, we started our program with John Hunt as the guest talking about nuclear weapons development and space exploration technologies. The Space Show participants in the Zoom meeting explored various aspects of nuclear weapons history, including bomb designs, testing, and strategic implications, while also discussing the potential for nuclear technologies in space missions and propulsion systems. The conversation concluded with discussions about current and future space exploration initiatives, including reactor technologies and launch schedules, with participants expressing concerns about political and technical challenges. Several Space Show participants were with us in the meeting including Marshall Martin, Peter Forman, John Jossy, Dr. Ajay Kothari, Dr. Phil Swan, Dr. James Benford, & Tim WeaverOur more detailed summary follows. John Hunt discussed his presentation on the evolution of nuclear weapons, including its funding and technological aspects. Marshall shared his interest in manufacturing composites and nanocarbon tubes in space, predicting that medical applications and materials science would be the next big cash cows in space development and was looking to connect the dots to the early tech being discussed by John Hunt. We discussed the potential for producing semiconductors and nanotubes in space, with Marshall suggesting that zero-gravity environments could enable the production of longer nanotubes for stronger materials like nanotube rope, which could be used in space elevators.David Livingston introduced the Sunday Space Show program, mentioning upcoming guests and topics, including a discussion on nuclear weapon development and its impact on space with John Hunt. The conversation ended with introductions of various participants and a brief overview of the show's format.Early on John introduced us to Project Orion as he mentioned his history interest including the work of Freeman Dyson's son, George Dyson who wrote a book about his fathers work. John Jossy expressed interest in reading the book, and they discussed the now-defunct nuclear space website, which had provided valuable information.Hunt discussed the history and development of nuclear weapons, focusing on the physics behind atomic and nuclear fission, and the creation of the first atomic bombs, “Little Boy” and “Fat Man,” used in World War II. He explained the evolution of bomb designs, including the transition from solid to hollow core plutonium spheres for improved yield and the introduction of fusion components in the Teller-Ulam design, which significantly increased explosive power. John also highlighted the Soviet Union's alternative “layer cake” design, which used a central fission bomb surrounded by a lithium deuteride layer for fusion, and noted the cryogenic technology developed for these weapons, which later found applications in space exploration.Our guest explained the evolution of nuclear weapons, focusing on the development of thermonuclear bombs and their components. He described how lithium deuteride was used in fusion reactions, leading to the creation of tritium and increased yield through fission. The discussion covered various weapon designs, including the Mark 17, Mark 28, and the 25-megaton Mark 41 bomb. John also mentioned Ted Taylor's contributions to bomb design and his work on the Orion nuclear-powered spacecraft project, which was canceled due to the Test Ban Treaty.The discussion focused on historical nuclear weapons development, John Hunt explaining that Project Orion conducted conventional explosive tests but never pursued nuclear testing. David suggested visiting government nuclear museums across the US, including Las Vegas and New Mexico, which house exhibits and remnants of nuclear testing. The conversation then shifted to the evolution of nuclear weapons, noting that while the Soviet Tsar bomb was primarily a propaganda device, the US responded by developing smaller, multiple-warhead systems to counter potential ABM defenses, leading to a shift from large single-warhead bombs to more numerous but smaller thermonuclear devices, with both countries eventually deploying around 100,000 strategic warheads each by the mid-1980s.The discussion focused on nuclear weapons and missile defense systems. Hunt explained that Soviet ICBM deployments were initially vulnerable to Minuteman III counterforce capabilities, but Russian silo hardening and U.S. missile number limitations led to Russian achievement of assured destruction capability. The group then discussed a 1957 nuclear test where a manhole cover was launched at escape velocity speeds, with guest James noting this was a deliberate test and not accidental. The conversation concluded with a discussion of current missile defense systems, including the Golden Dome concept using hit-to-kill interceptors, and concerns about North Korea's development of MERV missiles.Next up was a discussion regarding the strategic implications of nuclear weapons, particularly focusing on the challenges of responding to a North Korean attack due to the complex geopolitical landscape involving Russia, China, Japan, and South Korea. They explored the potential electromagnetic pulse (EMP) effects of nuclear weapons on satellite systems like Starlink and the historical development of anti-ballistic missile systems, including exo-atmospheric and microwave-induced detonation technologies. James shared insights from his experience with Soviet microwave weapons research, noting that while these systems were studied extensively, they were never deployed. The conversation concluded with a question about the transition from using nuclear power in satellites to planning for its use on the surfaces of the moon and Mars.We also talked about the history and future of nuclear technology in space exploration, with James noting that nuclear rockets could enable substantial payloads for solar system exploration. They explored how nuclear technology developed from weapons to civilian power, with Hunt suggesting that without the military budget, space program development would have been slower. Ajay raised questions about Russia's Burevestnik nuclear-powered missile program, which James and Hunt explained was similar to a canceled US program but deemed impractical due to radioactive contamination risks.Ajay focused on nuclear reactor technologies, particularly molten salt reactors and uranium isotopes. Dr. Kothari explained that molten salt reactors using uranium-233 could be safer in the event of an accident as the molten salt would freeze and become non-fissile upon contact with the ground. Hunt noted that uranium-233's higher radioactivity makes it difficult to handle, while confirming it produces similar energy output to other isotopes. The conversation concluded with a discussion about the feasibility of gun-launched space missions, with several participants expressing skepticism about spin launch concepts due to drag issues at high speeds, while Phil suggested that robust propulsion technology could handle high G-forces.The feasibility of hypersonic velocities and space travel was brought up with Phil asserting that it's possible to achieve orbital velocity despite atmospheric drag, while others, including and James, disagreed, citing significant challenges. The conversation shifted to the potential of nuclear technologies for space travel, with Phil suggesting underground nuclear explosions to power rockets, though Jossy noted legal and operational limitations. James highlighted the need for high-thrust rockets for interplanetary travel. They mentioned a promising paper on a centrifugal liquid-fuel propulsion system with a high specific impulse, which could be a significant advancement for space travel.We had much to say about nuclear rockets, with Phil explaining that nuclear rockets face challenges with the Oberth effect due to their inability to provide short, high-thrust bursts compared to chemical rockets. Marshall raised concerns about the potential impact of nuclear rocket launches on space stations, but Phil suggested that the radiation environment in space would make astronauts less concerned about nuclear launches. Hunt provided insights into contemporary nuclear weapons, noting that most are thermonuclear and that Russia is attempting to become a near-parity power with the U.S. and China. The discussion concluded with John explaining the potential risks and political implications of Russia using tactical nuclear weapons, emphasizing the importance of avoiding an escalation to full-scale nuclear war.Before ending we discussed nuclear power options for space missions, particularly focusing on a 100-kilowatt fission reactor planned for the moon by 2030. Marshall and others debated whether government or commercial entities should develop these reactors, with Marshall suggesting a public-private partnership might be best. The conversation concluded with a discussion about Artemis II's February 5th launch date, with participants expressing skepticism about whether it would actually proceed as scheduled, given NASA's history of delays.This program is audio archived at www.thespaceshow.com and doctorspace.substack.com for this program date. The Zoom video is also archived on our Substack site.Special thanks to our sponsors:Northrup Grumman, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Helix Space in Luxembourg, Celestis Memorial Spaceflights, Astrox Corporation, Dr. Haym Benaroya of Rutgers University, The Space Settlement Progress Blog by John Jossy, The Atlantis Project, and Artless EntertainmentOur Toll Free Line for Live Broadcasts: 1-866-687-7223For real time program participation, email Dr. Space at: drspace@thespaceshow.comThe Space Show is a non-profit 501C3 through its parent, One Giant Leap Foundation, Inc. To donate via Pay Pal, use:To donate with Zelle, use the email address: david@onegiantleapfoundation.org.If you prefer donating with a check, please make the check payable to One Giant Leap Foundation and mail to:One Giant Leap Foundation, 11035 Lavender Hill Drive Ste. 160-306 Las Vegas, NV 89135Upcoming Programs:No program for Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 | Tuesday 07 Oct 2025 700PM PTGuests: Dr. David LivingstonNo program for today, Oct. 7, 2025Broadcast 4441 Hotel Mars featuring Mark Whittington, journalist | Wednesday 08 Oct 2025 930AM PTGuests: Mark Whittington, John Batchelor, Dr. David LivingstonHotel Mars with Mark Whittington on NASA Life on Mars Announcement and moreBroadcast 4442: Andrew Chanin | Friday 10 Oct 2025 930AM PTGuests: Andrew ChaninAndrew talks about the ETF market, commercial space investment and trendsBroadcast 4443 Jack Kingdon | Sunday 12 Oct 2025 1200PM PTGuests: Jack KingdonJack discusses his paper “3 months transit time to Mars for human missions using SpaceX Starship”Special thanks to our sponsors:Northrup Grumman, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Helix Space in Luxembourg, Celestis Memorial Spaceflights, Astrox Corporation, Dr. Haym Benaroya of Rutgers University, The Space Settlement Progress Blog by John Jossy, The Atlantis Project, and Artless EntertainmentOur Toll Free Line for Live Broadcasts: 1-866-687-7223For real time program participation, email Dr. Space at: drspace@thespaceshow.comThe Space Show is a non-profit 501C3 through its parent, One Giant Leap Foundation, Inc. To donate via Pay Pal, use:To donate with Zelle, use the email address: david@onegiantleapfoundation.org.If you prefer donating with a check, please make the check payable to One Giant Leap Foundation and mail to:One Giant Leap Foundation, 11035 Lavender Hill Drive Ste. 160-306 Las Vegas, NV 89135Upcoming Programs:No program for Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 | Tuesday 07 Oct 2025 700PM PTGuests: Dr. David LivingstonNo program for today, Oct. 7, 2025Broadcast 4441 Hotel Mars featuring Mark Whittington, journalist | Wednesday 08 Oct 2025 930AM PTGuests: Mark Whittington, John Batchelor, Dr. David LivingstonHotel Mars with Mark Whittington on NASA Life on Mars Announcement and moreBroadcast 4442: Andrew Chanin | Friday 10 Oct 2025 930AM PTGuests: Andrew ChaninAndrew talks about the ETF market, commercial space investment and trendsBroadcast 4443 Jack Kingdon | Sunday 12 Oct 2025 1200PM PTGuests: Jack KingdonJack discusses his paper “3 months transit time to Mars for human missions using SpaceX Starship”Live Streaming is at https://www.thespaceshow.com/content/listen-live with the following live streaming sites:Stream Guys https://player.streamguys.com/thespaceshow/sgplayer3/player.php#FastServ https://ic2646c302.fastserv.com/streamStream Guys https://player.streamguys.com/thespaceshow/sgplayer3/player.php#FastServ https://ic2646c302.fastserv.com/stream Get full access to The Space Show-One Giant Leap Foundation at doctorspace.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Eloise Goulder, head of J.P. Morgan's Data Assets and Alpha Group and James Benford, chief data officer at the Bank of England, discuss the potential for data and AI to transform decision-making both at the Bank of England and across the finance industry more widely. They also discuss the impact of generative AI on market efficiency and financial stability, the balance between the use of AI and human judgement as well as the ethical considerations shaping the future of financial services.    This episode was recorded on March 19, 2025.   Shownotes:  To learn more about James Benford's role at the Bank of England: James Benford | Bank of England Further information on the Bank of England's Data and Analytics Strategy: The Bank's data and analytics strategy: a three-year roadmap | Bank of England   Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast may not necessarily reflect the views of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co and its affiliates (together “J.P. Morgan”), they are not the product of J.P. Morgan's Research Department and do not constitute a recommendation, advice, or an offer or a solicitation to buy or sell any security or financial instrument.  This podcast is intended for institutional and professional investors only and is not intended for retail investor use, it is provided for information purposes only. Referenced products and services in this podcast may not be suitable for you and may not be available in all jurisdictions.  J.P. Morgan may make markets and trade as principal in securities and other asset classes and financial products that may have been discussed.  For additional disclaimers and regulatory disclosures, please visit: www.jpmorgan.com/disclosures/salesandtradingdisclaimer. For the avoidance of doubt, opinions expressed by any external speakers are the personal views of those speakers and do not represent the views of J.P. Morgan. © 2025 JPMorgan Chase & Company. All rights reserved.

This brain trust of SETI experts was hosted in February of 2020, back when live, in-studio conversations happened, and discussions of alien artifacts and UAPs was fringe science. The discussion includes James Benford's strategy for finding ETI artifacts and a proposition for both passive and active observations by optical and radio listening, radar imaging and launching probes. A debate on the implications of our own technosignatures. And what if we find nothing? A profound result: suggesting that, perhaps, no ET intelligence has yet come to look at Earth, or perhaps other civilizations are simply not as curious as we, good at concealing their activities, or simply lost to deep time. Many of the topics covered have now become mainstream science! The Director of National Intelligence has just released the second Annual Report on Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon. NASA has commissioned an independent study on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs) led by Professor Keating's friend and colleague, Former chair of Princeton's astrophysics department, and President of the Simons Foundation, David Spergel. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-to-set-up-independent-study-on-unidentified-anomalous-phenomena/ And of course, our friend, Harvard Astronomy Professor Avi Loeb's Galileo Project for the Systematic Scientific Search for Evidence of Extraterrestrial Technological Artifacts ( https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/galileo/home ). See our latest episode with Avi here: https://youtu.be/N9lUceHsLRw Our Aliens, UFOs, & Extraterrestrial Intelligence playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJGKdZD30K__D6oamWCq9uvSFKVoatsCf James Benford is President of Microwave Sciences, Inc. in Lafayette, California, specializing in High Power Microwaves and their space applications. His interests include electromagnetic power beaming for space propulsion, and experimental intense particle beams. He has a PhD in Physics in plasma physics (UCSD 1969). He co-edited Starship Century, dealing with the prospect of star travel, an anthology of fact & fiction. See jamesbenford.com. Paul Davies is Director of the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University. His research spans cosmology, astrobiology and theoretical physics. He has made important contributions to quantum field theory in curved spacetime, with applications to inflationary cosmology and black holes. He was among the first to champion the possibility that microbial life could be transferred between Mars and Earth in impact ejecta. He is the author of 28 books, including most recently The Eerie Silence: Renewing Our Search for Alien Intelligence. Mat Kaplan was the host of Planetary Radio from the Planetary Society from its' 2002 premiere through 2022. He was a Planetary Society staff member for more than 15 years, He hosts live events for Southern California Public Radio called NEXT, and frequently serves as moderator or speaker at space and science gatherings. Video of this episode: https://youtu.be/nCXV3PSQGAY Connect with Professor Keating:

Von Neumann probes, self-replicating spacecraft, or Alien lurkers and alien artifacts all represent the idea that somewhere in our solar system there could be evidence of an alien civilization and that they may have been silently watching us from space for millions of years or longer. Jonh Michael Godier spoke to Dr. James Benford about his paper 'Looking for Lurkers: Co-orbiters as SETI Observables', as well as other solutions to the fermi paradox that involves finding alien artifacts in our own solar system. Looking for Lurkers: Co-orbiters as SETI Observables by Dr. James Benford: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1903.09582.pdf Want to support the channel? Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/EventHorizonShow Follow us at other places! Website: https://www.eventhorizonshow.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmgeventhorizon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmgeventhorizon/ Music featured on Event Horizon https://stellardrone.bandcamp.com/ https://migueljohnson.bandcamp.com/ https://leerosevere.bandcamp.com/ https://aeriumambient.bandcamp.com

On this episode, we welcome James Benford, a Christian martial arts instructor to discuss the concept of pacifism and personal protection. Must a Christian be a pacifist? Or is there ever a time when force can be used to protect others or even ourselves?

How did the universe begin? Why do galaxies look the way the do? Can we see the vanishingly dim light of undiscovered worlds in the Kuiper Belt? These are some of the questions that drive Simons Observatory director Brian Keating. He also thinks deeply about the existential challenges faced by young scientists and how the Nobel Prize for Physics should be reformed. We'll spend a fascinating hour with Brian after we visit his lab with fellow physicists James Benford and Paul Davies. Planetary Society chief scientist Bruce Betts joins us for an up-front What's Up segment. Discover more at https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/brian-keating-simons-observatory-cosmology-nobel See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This discussion describes a strategy of looking for ETI artifacts. It proposes both passive and active observations by optical and radio listening, radar imaging and launching probes. We might even broadcast to them. But what if we find nothing there? That would be a profound result: suggesting that, perhaps, no ET intelligence has yet come to look at Earth, on that other hand, perhaps other civilizations are simply not as curious as we are or are better at concealing their activities than we are. Such speculation forms the basis of this lively conversation between astrophysicist and associate director of the Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination, Dr Brian Keating (https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating), Prof. Paul Davies, Dr. James Benford and Mat Kaplan (Planetary Society).

durée : 00:04:33 - Les Savanturiers - par : Fabienne Chauvière - Si des civilisations extraterrestres avancées existent, elles pourraient avoir déposé des dispositifs de surveillance, pas loin de la Terre. C'est ce que pense le physicien américain James Benford.

The study's sole author, James Benford, says that there could be hundreds, or even thousands, of stars that have been close enough to the Earth throughout its history for a potential intelligent civilization to make contact. Such a civilization may have seen on the Earth single-celled organisms or possibly dinosaurs, depending upon when they viewed them.

Dr James Benford has a theory, that aliens might be lurking on us using nearby asteroids and that we should take a look and see. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Alien 'Lurkers' Could Be Covertly Watching Us From Space, Physicist Says Link: https://www.sciencealert.com/alien-lurkers-could-be-covertly-watching-us-from-space-physicist-says They're called 'lurkers', and they may have been covertly surveilling us from space for millions of years – since before we even existed, perhaps. That's the bold proposal being made in a new scientific paper by American physicist James Benford. In 1960, Stanford radiophysicist Ronald Bracewell first suggested the idea that "superior galactic communities" could disperse autonomous interstellar probes as "hypothetical feelers" throughout space in order to observe, monitor, and maybe even communicate with other life-forms, including those on Earth. "A probe located nearby could bide its time while our civilisation developed technology that could find it, and, once contacted, could undertake a conversation in real time," Benford explains in his new paper. In his new paper, the physicist says such hidden, long-lived robotic lurkers would do well to set up their stakeout on a class of rocky near-Earth objects (NEO) called co-orbital objects. Only a small number of such objects has ever been found by astronomers. The closest known one to Earth, called 2016 HO3, is a small asteroid described by NASA as "Earth's constant companion". "2016 HO3 loops around our planet, but never ventures very far away as we both go around the Sun," NASA NEO researcher Paul Chodas explained in 2016. "These near-Earth objects provide an ideal way to watch our world from a secure natural object," his paper explains. "That provides resources an ETI might need: materials, a firm anchor, and concealment." Because of this possibility – and the fact that co-orbitals are indeed so close to Earth – the physicist argues investigating them should be a priority for SETI astronomers. "We should move forthrightly toward observing them, both by observing them in the electromagnetic spectrum and planetary radar, as well as visiting them with probes," Benford writes. China has already announced plans to launch an ambitious 10-year mission that would include visiting and collecting samples from 2016 HO3: a perfect opportunity to see up close if there's anything funny (or alien-y) about Earth's constant companion. Show Stuff The Dark Horde, LLC – http://www.thedarkhorde.com Twitter @DarkHorde TeePublic Store - Get your UBR goodies today! http://tee.pub/lic/2GQuXxn79dg UBR Truth Seekers Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216706068856746 UFO Buster Radio: https://www.facebook.com/UFOBusterRadio YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggl8-aPBDo7wXJQ43TiluA To contact Manny: manny@ufobusterradio.com, or on Twitter @ufobusterradio Call the show anytime at (972) 290-1329 and leave us a message with your point of view, UFO sighting, and ghostly experiences or join the discussion on www.ufobusterradio.com For Skype Users: bosscrawler

Alien 'Lurkers' Could Be Covertly Watching Us From Space, Physicist Says Link: https://www.sciencealert.com/alien-lurkers-could-be-covertly-watching-us-from-space-physicist-says They're called 'lurkers', and they may have been covertly surveilling us from space for millions of years – since before we even existed, perhaps. That's the bold proposal being made in a new scientific paper by American physicist James Benford. In 1960, Stanford radiophysicist Ronald Bracewell first suggested the idea that "superior galactic communities" could disperse autonomous interstellar probes as "hypothetical feelers" throughout space in order to observe, monitor, and maybe even communicate with other life-forms, including those on Earth. "A probe located nearby could bide its time while our civilisation developed technology that could find it, and, once contacted, could undertake a conversation in real time," Benford explains in his new paper. In his new paper, the physicist says such hidden, long-lived robotic lurkers would do well to set up their stakeout on a class of rocky near-Earth objects (NEO) called co-orbital objects. Only a small number of such objects has ever been found by astronomers. The closest known one to Earth, called 2016 HO3, is a small asteroid described by NASA as "Earth's constant companion". "2016 HO3 loops around our planet, but never ventures very far away as we both go around the Sun," NASA NEO researcher Paul Chodas explained in 2016. "These near-Earth objects provide an ideal way to watch our world from a secure natural object," his paper explains. "That provides resources an ETI might need: materials, a firm anchor, and concealment." Because of this possibility – and the fact that co-orbitals are indeed so close to Earth – the physicist argues investigating them should be a priority for SETI astronomers. "We should move forthrightly toward observing them, both by observing them in the electromagnetic spectrum and planetary radar, as well as visiting them with probes," Benford writes. China has already announced plans to launch an ambitious 10-year mission that would include visiting and collecting samples from 2016 HO3: a perfect opportunity to see up close if there's anything funny (or alien-y) about Earth's constant companion. Show Stuff The Dark Horde, LLC – http://www.thedarkhorde.com Twitter @DarkHorde TeePublic Store - Get your UBR goodies today! http://tee.pub/lic/2GQuXxn79dg UBR Truth Seekers Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216706068856746 UFO Buster Radio: https://www.facebook.com/UFOBusterRadio YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggl8-aPBDo7wXJQ43TiluA To contact Manny: manny@ufobusterradio.com, or on Twitter @ufobusterradio Call the show anytime at (972) 290-1329 and leave us a message with your point of view, UFO sighting, and ghostly experiences or join the discussion on www.ufobusterradio.com For Skype Users: bosscrawler

Presented by James Benford on 13th March 2015.Messaging to Extra Terrestrial Intelligence (METI) is an issue dividing those who want to announce our presence to the cosmos by broadcasting to the nearer stars and those who advocate international consultations on the societal risk of such transmissions. METI is the opposite of searching (SETI). METI transmissions to date are faint and very unlikely to be detected. If we do send messages, who should speak for us and what should they say? Should individuals and groups capable of announcing Earth civilization to the galaxy talk it over first? Recent development for starship probes to visit the stars will be briefly discussed

Presented by James Benford on 13th March 2015.Messaging to Extra Terrestrial Intelligence (METI) is an issue dividing those who want to announce our presence to the cosmos by broadcasting to the nearer stars and those who advocate international consultations on the societal risk of such transmissions. METI is the opposite of searching (SETI). METI transmissions to date are faint and very unlikely to be detected. If we do send messages, who should speak for us and what should they say? Should individuals and groups capable of announcing Earth civilization to the galaxy talk it over first? Recent development for starship probes to visit the stars will be briefly discussed

“Starship Century—Toward the Grandest Horizon” is the new collection of fact and fiction assembled by Gregory and James Benford. The brothers are among the leaders of a renaissance in research and thinking about interstellar travel. They have returned to Planetary Radio to talk about this story of human destiny among the stars.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gregory and James Benford on Benford Beacons for SETILearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices