Seti scientists announce that a clearly artificial signal has been identified...

[Rusty Halo]

Mary Doria Russell wrote a fascinating novel about a scenario very much like the one described in the OP. The Sparrow won the Arthur C. Clarke, James Tiptree, Kurd-Laßwitz-Preis, John Campbell and the British Science Fiction Association awards.

[Aloysius]

Okay, here's a change to the scenario:

Seti scientists announce that a clearly artificial signal has been identified...

... it comes from just beyond the orbit of Pluto!!

Now, what ?

I guess every telescope is turned in this direction to see what it is... If it's some kind of probe (think an alien "voyager" or "pioneer" probe), then we probably have a very short amount of time to catch it. If it's something bigger... See Rama I or II.

As for the original post, it was about some kind of electromagnetic signal (radio waves, laser...). I choose a few thousands light years away so that we can be sure this event has no imminent consequence, and we have no way of establishing communication : I'm only interested in the consequences (political, philosophical, religious, scientific, social...) of knowing for sure that "there was someone there".

[Klaus]

I guess every telescope is turned in this direction to see what it is... If it's some kind of probe (think an alien "voyager" or "pioneer" probe), then we probably have a very short amount of time to catch it. If it's something bigger... See Rama I or II.

As for the original post, it was about some kind of electromagnetic signal (radio waves, laser...). I choose a few thousands light years away so that we can be sure this event has no imminent consequence, and we have no way of establishing communication : I'm only interested in the consequences (political, philosophical, religious, scientific, social...) of knowing for sure that "there was someone there".

What if the source of the signal is on a synchronous orbit on the far side of Pluto, meaning no Earth-based telescope can see it?

[Aloysius]

What if the source of the signal is on a synchronous orbit on the far side of Pluto, meaning no Earth-based telescope can see it?

How can we detect something from it if that so ? *not a radio-astronomer spikey*.

[Potissimus]

I'm sad to say I agree with the opinion that the OP scenario won't change much. I personally would be immensely interested, but it won't really touch the lives of most of humanity. If it would make a difference, it would be in being yet another contributing element towards trends of space exploration and a pan-consciousness (pro animal rights and so on) morality. The affect on the world's religions would be minute.

Mary Doria Russell wrote a fascinating novel about a scenario very much like the one described in the OP. The Sparrow won the Arthur C. Clarke, James Tiptree, Kurd-Laßwitz-Preis, John Campbell and the British Science Fiction Association awards.

One of the most unnerving books I've ever read. It was just... creepy, in a macabre, dark way.