Aug 6, 2026 · 5 min · 5 segments
When looking for life forms gets a bit fuzzy. If ET ever decides to drop us a line, scientists have changed their mind on how we should respond. As our daily Dog Days of Podcasting episodes continue…
Clinton AlvordHost
Today's first odd news story has apparently brought us here to Hobart Airport down in Tasmania.
I certainly hope you had a pleasant stay and got in a lot of sightseeing over the last, oh, 10 seconds or so because it's time to head home.
Well, I suppose there is time to visit the airport relay store for some snacks, a cup of coffee...
Oh, and how about one of those cute stuffed animals for the little ones back home? Wait, i- i- is this supposed to be a Tasmanian devil? No, no, no.
They're brown, and they stand on two feet, and they go, "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." But never mind me.
You look them over while I tell you the odd news about some changes the International Academy of Astronomics has made to their protocols surrounding the detection of a signal from aliens.
The first one is you're not supposed to scream, "Alien!" at the first sign of a strange blip in the sky.
Now scientists are supposed to sit around and wait until their discovery's been independently authenticated using different instruments.
Listen, Bill, I know you're very excited about discovering extraterrestrial life, but I'm sorry.
Until Emily gets back from vacation with the keys to the lab, there's nothing I can do.
He thinks he's found Bigfoot, but you don't see him complaining about waiting.
And in case that wasn't enough of a downer, if someone receives a message from space, Earth is now supposed to just let the call go to voicemail.
The new guidelines say that replying is really a decision that all of us need to make.
After all, who wants to be remembered as the person who invited the Borg to crash our block party? So have you decided on a stuffed animal? No? Well, let's see.
I- it looks a bit different, doesn't it? Those big dark eyes, and that fur is very realistic.
Today's first odd news story has apparently brought us here to Hobart Airport down in Tasmania.
I certainly hope you had a pleasant stay and got in a lot of sightseeing over the last, oh, 10 seconds or so because it's time to head home.
Well, I suppose there is time to visit the airport relay store for some snacks, a cup of coffee...
Oh, and how about one of those cute stuffed animals for the little ones back home? Wait, i- i- is this supposed to be a Tasmanian devil? No, no, no.
They're brown, and they stand on two feet, and they go, "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." But never mind me.
You look them over while I tell you the odd news about some changes the International Academy of Astronomics has made to their protocols surrounding the detection of a signal from aliens.
The first one is you're not supposed to scream, "Alien!" at the first sign of a strange blip in the sky.
Now scientists are supposed to sit around and wait until their discovery's been independently authenticated using different instruments.
Listen, Bill, I know you're very excited about discovering extraterrestrial life, but I'm sorry.
Until Emily gets back from vacation with the keys to the lab, there's nothing I can do.
He thinks he's found Bigfoot, but you don't see him complaining about waiting.
And in case that wasn't enough of a downer, if someone receives a message from space, Earth is now supposed to just let the call go to voicemail.
The new guidelines say that replying is really a decision that all of us need to make.
After all, who wants to be remembered as the person who invited the Borg to crash our block party? So have you decided on a stuffed animal? No? Well, let's see.
I- it looks a bit different, doesn't it? Those big dark eyes, and that fur is very realistic.
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