http://cptv.vo.llnwd.net/o2/ypmwebcontent/Commodore%20Skahill/Colin%20McEnroe%20Show%2007-02-2012.mp3
First contact is probably not going to be like "Close Encounters" or any other sci-fi movie you can think of, because the likelihood of another civilization in the universe with technology even that close to ours is very low.
In a weird way, the hilarious comedy "Galaxy Quest" offers a slightly more probable scenario -- a farflung intelligent life form that, for its own reasons, starts imitating us.
The far more likely unfoldings are the detection of a so-called footprint: a planet or star that showed signs of having been artificially screwed around with, in which case get ready for endless arguments about whether the evidence is credible.
Or, the other possibility is an intentional signal, most likely a series of pulses. Compared to what we're used to on the screen, this seems like pretty weak tea, but in real life, it would take some getting used to. There are gigantic theological implications, for starters.
What would you say if you were making first contact with E.T.?
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