Scientists Have Already Decided What To Do If Aliens Call
keep a low profile: to behave in a way that does not attract attention
If aliens ever send us a message, the world’s scientists have already agreed on the best response. Say nothing. In 2026, the SETI Institute and the International Academy of Astronautics updated the global rules for alien contact. “No reply should be sent.”
That rule grows out of a much older puzzle. The universe is full of stars, and many planets formed long before Earth, so why have we never been contacted? One explanation is frightening. Maybe the universe is crowded, and everyone in it is hiding.
This is called the dark forest theory. Imagine the universe as a forest at night full of dangerous predators. Nobody knows who else is out there, or what they want. So everyone does their best to move without a sound to stay safe.
But it’s a little late to start keeping a low profile. Our everyday radio has been leaking into space for decades, carrying music, news and chatter with it.
In 1974, we went further. Astronomers in Puerto Rico aimed a message at a distant group of stars, hoping that someone was listening. It was a simple picture showing a human body, our solar system, and the shape of DNA. That picture is still traveling. If it ever arrives, and something sends us a signal back, our new rules are clear. Don’t answer.
Sample sentences
She’s very rich, but she keeps a low profile. You’d never guess it.
I’m the new guy at my job, so I’m keeping a low profile until I know how everything works.
Just keep a low profile until the boss calms down.
Read More
SETI’s New Rule for Alien Contact: “No Reply Should Be Sent”
