Possible Cultural Impact of Extraterrestrial Life, if It Were to Be Found

Abstract

Detection of extraterrestrial life may soon be within our reach, as shown in the previous chapters of this book. We are at the dawn of the next generation of instruments and space missions aiming to detect evidence of life on other planets. From a social perspective, the situation places astronomy and related fields in a special position among the sciences, due to the public expectations of alien life. This is revealed by a statistical analysis of media exposure which is described in this chapter, along with several expected cultural and social impact should life to be discovered.