• Question: If you find alien life will you be able to name it or will the government have to name it. If you can name it what would you call it?

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      Asked by Ollie to MG on 10 Nov 2015.
      • Photo: Maire Gorman

        Maire Gorman answered on 10 Nov 2015:


        Ewwwww! Now we’re getting political!

        Check out SETI institute.

        Mmm all depends on which telescope finds it-ie if its one build by NASA or one build by the European space agency or another space agency(ie Chinese, Japaneses, Russian etc)

        I imagine(me been cynical) the property rights to names could either come from someone with lots of money who has donated to the telescope/satellite which finds it or in a nice world, there would be a vote/public competition to name it. Can only hope!

        JOCELYN BELL discovered pulsars(she should have got the Noble prize…) and for a time they called the signals which they thought were aliens LGM-Little Green Men.

        As for names….mmm I’d pick one out of a hat! Or call it Larry after my dog at home 🙂

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