NASA says ‘it is okay’ to kill just a few aliens – however provided that there’s good motive

Nasa appears to suggest it’s sometimes okay to kill extraterrestrial life, as long as it’s necessary.

Scientists claim that whether it is vital or not has no straight forward answer. Several space missions could pose a threat to aliens or other life forms, but they say it could be the price we have to pay.

The space station is currently undergoing several missions, including research on Mars and upcoming projects on outer solar moons, such as Jupiter’s moon Europa. Some believe this could lead to the discovery of extra-terrestrial life, but there are thoughts that these expeditions could put them in danger.

READ MORE : Astronomer warns trying to reach aliens is like saying ‘we’re here and we’re tasty’

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Jayme Johnson-Schwartz, a philosophy expert who specialises in the ethics of space exploration, says the question about whether it’s okay to kill aliens or not has no clear answer. “It’s a question about what our priorities are, whether you are an astrobiologist or a member of the general public,” she told Wired.

The first robots on Mars were released in NASA in 1976. When the question arose before they were launched on what would happen if they found aliens, they came to a conclusive answer.

Scientists at the time decided it was permitted to kill extra-terrestrial life, as long as there was justified scientific reasoning behind it. The Viking mission detected signs of life after they experimented on martian dirt.

Some of the dirt was doused in nutrients and then some was placed under searing temperatures. The idea was that the nutrients would perk up and show signs of life.

The Committee on Space Research said no science should interfere with alien life as it would be unethical. This sparked conversation after many critiqued the Viking Mission of stealing life and burning it, which would be frowned down upon if it was human.

In 2018, a private spacecraft named Beresheet crashed into Earth’s moon by accident and potentially spilled a very small animal named tardigardes on the surface. Elon Musk is also developing plans to place human communities on Mars.

Scientists ask the question on whether this is ethical and could potentially harm alien life. “It would take a lot of work to make Mars a place for us,” Johnson-Schwartz added.

“If it’s already a place for something else, to me that is an important consideration against frivolously heading out to Mars to do whatever we feel like instead of coming together to think collectively about what we want for our first interaction with another world, and potentially other life-forms.

“If we don’t come together and make sure voices are heard, and make sure that we find a way to impact policy,” she told Wired, “it’s going to be the wealthy that set the agenda.”

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