'Incredible claims demand incredible evidence' — SETI astronomer Jill Tarter #shorts

AstronomerJill Tarter has spent her entire career searching for extraterrestrial life. In an exclusive interview with Big Think, Tarter discusses the origins of her career, what excites her about the future of SETI research, and the frustrations of working on long-term projects.

[UteChewb]

Jill Tarter, a woman whose name should be more well known. I have a suspicion that the main character in the movie "Contact" is based on her. I know there was a book, I read it, but Tarter was very well known as the face of SETI back then.

[purdysanchez]

Claims do require evidence. Regardless of how absurd they are.

[robeaston]

With incredible power comes incredible responsibility.

[DADela-htux]

I fell in love with science in middle school. I had so many questions. I still do. It's all about asking the right questions, not just believing what a few people have to say. Science welcomes scrutiny. Narcissistic, greedy and powerful people trying to sell an agenda do not.

That is how you know the difference between honest work and propaganda.

[dasmith]

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

[danceswithcritters]

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" is the actual quote.

[OctoberOctopusM]

My question would be: "Why is that relevant?". Space is so vast that the signal doesn't matter.

[lizardmilk]

I used this quote and got out of jury duty.

[DanielEarth]

“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” Carl Sagan

[sgsupreme]

Incredible claims require incredible evidence = Religion's worst enemy: Evidence.

[intelligentfool]

What she, and Sagan, really mean is the strength of evidence. There's no such thing as extraordinary (or in her words, incredible) evidence. Stories are evidence too, they're just very weak evidence.

[Rippinsteo]

It’s always interesting to consider what constitutes an “extraordinary” or an “incredible” claim—and to really examine and deconstruct such an assertion. And it is even more interesting to examine and deconstruct what gets to be considered as “extraordinary” or “incredible” evidence. What actually gets to count as evidence, and what does not, and why? And then, there is always the fun consideration of what constitutes the evidentiary threshold which is sufficient to achieve a conviction of the reality or truthfulness of a given assertion or claim.

[woodrowtaylor]

If it were coming from Andromeda say the signal would be 2.5 million years old and would take 2.5 million years for an answer to reach them. Whats the point.

[gbarton]

Close… in his Cosmos series Carl actually said “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” Same idea just not a direct quote.

[iwill]

I actually had to break up with someone recently because she couldn't believe that I don't believe in aliens. ..

[spartamerican]

'Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence'.
How you gonna misquote my guy like that?

[claytonbigsby]

Prime numbers will be an integral part of any 'signal'

[Soundsaboutright]

Most people don't want evidence today. It's a sad world.

[Letts_prey]

“In the beginning god created the heavens and earth”

‘That’s quite a claim. How do you know?’

God told me. So you can’t question me!”

[tomarmstrong]

Ouch, to spend a career listening for a non-existent signal. Hope she’s got other things to do in her day job, esp if paid by taxpayers