Avi Loeb

Like, for example, oxygen, methane,

biosignatures.

And the point is that some of these molecules are also produced by geological process.

So at the end of the day, after putting the $10 billion, you might not even know for sure if you have microbes.

And I say, well, let's hedge our bets, okay?

Because if we discover a spacecraft near Earth,

then it will be conclusive.

If we have a high resolution image, we can see the buttons on it, or we can see it's technological and not a rock, this will not be disputed.

It's sort of like centuries after Galileo told the church what he told them.

There is so much data that they cannot deny it.

So if we have that data quickly, then that would be clear.

This is like Pascal's wager, no?

That even though the chances are very small, it's still worth the effort.

Definitely because for two reasons.

One, if you don't search, you will not find anything.

It's a self-fulfilling prophecy of all these dogmatists because they don't want, they base their stature on claiming that things like that are difficult to find.

So they don't want the evidence to come out because it will sabotage their claim throughout the years of marginalizing this research.

But also, obviously, in addition, we will continue.

I mean, it serves the ego of many people to say that Elon Musk is the most accomplished space entrepreneur since the Big Bang.

And I say, let's check.