?? Space Zombies ??♀?
Last night was out-of-this-world! The Silicon Zombies Podcast community gathered at the Park James Hotel for another mind-expanding conversation, this time with Dr. Franck Marchis from the SETI Institute (that’s the *Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence* Institute). The standing-room-only crowd was evidence of the growing appetite in our community for deep, meaningful discussions about humanity's future among the stars.
Dr. Marchis shared a perspective that resonated for me: "I have a personal conviction that there is intelligent civilization elsewhere. That's a belief as a human being; it's not a scientific belief. And the reason I think it's important we find them is because when we find aliens, we will know that we have a future as a civilization."
This isn't just about finding extraterrestrial life – it's about understanding our place in the cosmos and our potential as a species. The questions we're asking today about our future in space are fundamentally questions about humanity's path forward.
The conversation bridged pure scientific research with practical innovation. From discussing SETI's search for technosignatures to exploring how private industry is democratizing space access, the talk highlighted how the entrepreneurial spirit is transforming space exploration. Dr. Marchis shared that we can now send a satellite to space for $20,000-$40,000, making our options for space research available to a much broader set of innovators.
The Silicon Zombies community is such a special group. Where else would you find a room full of people equally comfortable discussing adaptive optics technology and philosophical questions about humanity's future? From startup founders to scientists, from students to seasoned investors, everyone brought their curiosity and engagement to the conversation.
Special thanks to Dr. Marchis for sharing his expertise and vision. Through his work with both SETI and UNISTELLAR, he's not just searching for extraterrestrial life – he's helping reconnect humanity with the wonder of the night sky.
We finished the evening in the hotel courtyard, looking for Jupiter through UNISTELLAR's telescope (unfortunately, there was too much cloud cover). I was reminded that the greatest value of our community isn't just in the knowledge shared, but in the connections forged and the possibilities imagined #together.
The search for extraterrestrial intelligence might be our greatest adventure as a species. But the journey itself – the innovation, collaboration, and shared sense of purpose it inspires – might be equally valuable for humanity's future.
Anitha Beberg, Phil Brattain, Gabriela Dominguez, Franky (Hoang) Dong, David Fernandez, Kari G., Niki Gastinel, Brian Goldenberg, Cynthia Karr, HOOMAN KHALILI, Valerie Korol, Leslie Lang, Nick Larson, Franck Marchis, Stanley Mei, Piyush Malik, Jason Nyeh, Cesar Plata, Arnie Roberts, Oana Singa, Daphne Royse, Paul M. Russo, Bill Sautter, Melinda Yormick
