It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Saturday, June 06, 2026
SPACE/COSMOS
Beyond Disclosure Day: The real-world protocols
At the heart of the new rules is a reaffirmation of a core scientific principle: “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”
June 5, 2026, Mountain View, CA –The IAA SETI Committee announced today updated rules for evaluating and revealing the detection of extraterrestrial intelligence.
A University of Manchester astronomer has led a major international overhaul of the rules that would govern how scientists announce evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence to the world.
Professor Michael Garrett, the Sir Bernard Lovell Chair of Astrophysics, chaired a global effort to update the long-standing “post-detection protocols” used by researchers involved in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). The updated guidelines have now been formally ratified by the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA).
The revised Declaration of Principles marks the first major update to the protocols in more than 15 years and reflects a media landscape transformed by social media, artificial intelligence and the 24-hour news cycle.
Acknowledging that any credible detection of extraterrestrial technology would be a transformative event for humanity, the new Declaration establishes a rigorous framework for verification, transparency and global risk communication.
"The information environment we operate in today is vastly more complex than it was in 2010," said Garrett, Chair of the IAA SETI Committee. "In an era of deepfakes, automated misinformation, and instant global connectivity, a single unverified claim could trigger confusion or panic. These new protocols ensure that scientists maintain the highest standards of evidence before making announcements to the world."
Adapting to a new era of SETI research
SETI and Technosignature research have expanded significantly since the previous protocols were adopted in 2010. Scientists now investigate the entire electromagnetic spectrum, including excess infrared heat signatures from megastructures, optical laser emission, and even multi-messenger signals. The updated Declaration explicitly recognises this broader approach.
It also addresses other modern challenges, including protections for researchers, acknowledging that scientists involved in potential detection could face harassment, doxxing, or intense media scrutiny. It further acknowledges the risk of viral rumours, ensuring verified data is distinguished from hoaxes or terrestrial interference.
Verification before announcement
At the heart of the new rules is a reaffirmation of a core scientific principle: “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”
Under the revised protocols, no public announcement should be made until a signal or artifact has been rigorously authenticated by independent organisations using different instrumentation.
"We do not shout “alien” the moment we see a strange blip," Garrett added. "The scientific method demands we check, check again, and then ask others to check. Only when we have reached a consensus that a signal is credible do we bring it to the world."
The 'No Reply' Consensus
While the protocols outline how to share news of a discovery, they remain firm on one critical restriction: No reply should be sent.
The Declaration reaffirms the enduring principle that transmitting a response to an extraterrestrial intelligence is a decision that belongs to all of humanity and should only take place following international consultations, specifically through the United Nations.
What happens next
With the updated Declaration ratified by the IAA Board, the aim is to see the document lodged with other stakeholders, including the United Nations. A formal technical presentation of the protocols to the wider community, including the scientific press, will take place at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) later this year in Türkiye.
“The release of these updated rules and protocols marks an important step in acknowledging both the radically different media landscape that science functions within today, and the vastly expanded efforts in terms of technology and resources being deployed in the search for intelligent life beyond Earth” said Bill Diamond, President and CEO of the SETI Institute and IAA SETI Committee member. “We applaud Prof Garrett’s leadership in developing these new protocols and the IAA for their ratification.”
The IAA SETI Committee will also establish a permanent Post-Detection Sub-Committee, bringing together experts in social science, law, and ethics, to advise on the longer-term societal implications of a confirmed discovery.
Founded in 1984, the SETI Institute is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary research and education organization whose mission is to lead humanity’s quest to understand the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the Universe and to share that knowledge with the world. Our research encompasses the physical and biological sciences and leverages expertise in data analytics, machine learning and advanced signal detection technologies. The SETI Institute is a distinguished research partner for industry, academia and government agencies, including NASA and NSF.
Contact information
Rebecca McDonald Director of Communications SETI Institute rmcdonald@seti.org
Contact: Prof. Michael Garrett, IAA SETI Committee Chair.
About the IAA SETI Committee The IAA SETI Committee is the world’s primary international body dedicated to the scientific, technical, and societal aspects of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
X-ray telescopes on a satellite can map the Moon’s surface chemistry in a few years
Simulations demonstrate feasibility of lunar geology breakthrough
X-ray Fluorescence Imaging of the Moon. The team’s new compact and lightweight imaging unit can be installed on a long-term satellite mission. Their simulations show that a comprehensive map of the entire surface might be produced in a few years.
Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have used simulations to show that a newly developed, compact X-ray telescope could be used to map the chemical composition of the entire Moon surface, a vital breakthrough for understanding its geological evolution. Detailed modeling of the detector and a realistic satellite mission show that two years would be enough to map five key elements, while an array of five-by-five detectors could improve resolution and get results faster.
The geological evolution of the Moon remains a mystery to scientists. This reflects how challenging it is to get accurate information, for example, a complete map of the geochemistry of the lunar surface. Since we cannot readily go and collect samples from anywhere, scientists use a technology known as X-ray fluorescence imaging, where detectors directed at the Moon are used to pick up X-rays released by specific elements when they are hit by solar rays.
While observations during the Apollo and Chandrayaan missions have successfully yielded partial maps, we are nowhere near a comprehensive map which might illuminate lunar geology. This is due to significant technical challenges, including a lack of sufficient illumination by solar rays during the lifetime of a mission, and degradation of the detector. The illumination issue is particularly pronounced in polar regions, where solar X-rays are much weaker.
To overcome these challenges, a team led by Airi Toida and Prof. Yuichiro Ezoe at Tokyo Metropolitan University proposes the use of a compact X-ray telescope which could be mounted on a satellite mission around the Moon. A telescope would enable wide area observation of the lunar surface during powerful solar flares. While conventional X-ray telescopes are prohibitively heavy and large, the team’s newly designed compact unit, intended for observations of the Earth’s magnetosphere, weighs in at less than ten kilograms and might be easily deployed as part of long-term satellite observation. The detector has also been tested under significantly more severe radiation environments than lunar orbit, realizing robust, wide-area, high resolution imaging of the lunar surface over extended mission durations.
Now, the team have incorporated the specifications of their X-ray telescope into a numerical simulation to see whether a satellite mission might successfully map the lunar surface. Assuming 300 solar flares per year and a single telescope on a satellite mission orbiting the Moon, they found that they could map the whole lunar surface for five elements (oxygen, iron, magnesium, aluminum, silicon) over two years with a grid size of 70 x 70 kilometers. Their telescope unit is so compact that it is feasible to have a five-by-five array of them on a single satellite. The team’s simulations also revealed that this 25-telescope system might reduce the mission time down to a year, with a map of sodium as well with two years, both with a grid size of 30 x 30 kilometers.
If either is realized, it would be the first complete map of elemental abundance over the whole surface of the Moon, a revolutionary step forward for understanding lunar geology.
This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 21H04972.
Jaspreet Singh Randhawa, a Mississippi State assistant professor of physics, has received a prestigious CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation to support a $700,000 research project on the nuclear reactions that power stellar explosions and other extreme cosmic events.
Credit: Photo by Grace Cockrell, Office of Public Affairs, Mississippi State University
STARKVILLE, Miss.—Jaspreet Singh Randhawa, a Mississippi State assistant professor of physics, has received a prestigious CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation to support a $700,000 research project on the nuclear reactions that power stellar explosions and other extreme cosmic events.
Using advanced detection systems, researchers will gather data that has never been measured directly in a terrestrial laboratory, helping scientists understand how elements are formed and how these processes shape the universe.
“Massive stars end their lives in powerful explosions that create many of the elements we see around us today,” Randhawa said. “This project focuses on understanding the nuclear reactions that happen during those events, helping scientists understand how elements are formed and how these processes shape the universe.”
Randhawa’s five-year project “Deciphering the Nuclear Fingerprints of Stellar Explosions” uses cutting-edge practices, including radioactive beams of extremely exotic nuclei that only live for a fraction of a second to a few seconds.
The project will help scientists improve computer models used to study supernovae and neutron stars. Measurements collected through the research will provide insight into how specific elements form during stellar explosions, shed light on conditions surrounding the formation of Earth’s solar system, and help researchers interpret data from next-generation space telescopes scheduled for launch in 2027, including X-ray bursts observed across the universe.
The research will take place at leading nuclear physics facilities, including the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams in Michigan and the Nuclear Science Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.
Beyond advancing fundamental science, the project will support workforce development through hands-on training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students. It also includes a Physics Olympics outreach program designed to engage high school students, particularly those from rural areas, through interactive science experiences that encourage interest in STEM fields.
Randhawa’s research builds on his broader work in nuclear astrophysics, including recent findings published in The Astrophysical Journal, in which he led the first direct measurement of a key nuclear reaction occurring during explosions on neutron star surfaces. His work helps scientists better understand how heavier elements form in the universe, from the oxygen essential to life and gold used in jewelry to the materials that form planets.
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