--- title: "9 Here Quotes By Seth Shostak" description: "9 Here quotes by Seth Shostak. Plus more from Seth Shostak and more Here sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98a/seth-shostak-2047_activity_it-seems-that-rocket-scientist-is-a-job_932878.png" --- > [It seems that 'rocket scientist' is a job category that's here for the long haul, like 'mortician.' But all this activity masks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/it-seems-that-rocket-scientist-is-a-job-category-that-s-here-for-the/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98a/seth-shostak-2047_activity_it-seems-that-rocket-scientist-is-a-job_932878.png) > [Each year, thousands of UFOs are sighted and reported, which is an impressive tally of unidentified aerial phenomena. Surveys show that roughly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/each-year-thousands-of-ufos-are-sighted-and-reported-which-is-an/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a6/seth-shostak-2047_aerial_each-year-thousands-of-ufos-are-sighted_2353169.png) > [Any society that could come here could pick up the lights from New York. What should we do about that? Should we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/any-society-that-could-come-here-could-pick-up-the-lights-from-new/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30e/seth-shostak-2047_about_any-society-that-could-come-here-could-p_1127221.jpg) > [About the only things that are unique to Earth are our biota and our culture. If aliens ever come here, they'd most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/about-the-only-things-that-are-unique-to-earth-are-our-biota-and-our/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/seth-shostak-2047_about_about-the-only-things-that-are-unique-to_153101.png) > [As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from another star system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguous-consequence-of-the-claimed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/seth-shostak-2047_admit_as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguou_35292.jpg) > [If aliens are really hanging out in our 'hood, it's hard to imagine any other fact more worthy of study. If not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/if-aliens-are-really-hanging-out-in-our-hood-it-s-hard-to-imagine-any/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48e/seth-shostak-2047_alien_if-aliens-are-really-hanging-out-in-our_3002616.png) > [Here's a news flash: scientists can be wrong. That's no big deal (unless the scientist is you), since research is self-correcting. Consequently,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/here-s-a-news-flash-scientists-can-be-wrong-that-s-no-big-deal-unless/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cad/seth-shostak-2047_become_here-s-a-news-flash-scientists-can-be-wr_312481.jpg) > [The overwhelming bulk of the cosmos is deathly quiet. But here and there - on worlds where matter is thick and conditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-overwhelming-bulk-of-the-cosmos-is-deathly-quiet-but-here-and/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4d/seth-shostak-2047_astronomy_the-overwhelming-bulk-of-the-cosmos-is-d_2380836.png) > [Some pundits have proposed that the aliens have come here to breed with us. Apparently, too much bike riding or something similar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-aliens-have-come-here-to-breed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/381/seth-shostak-2047_alien_some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-alie_22768.png) ## Other authors on Here ## More by Seth Shostak > [Studying Sol's interior by looking for analogous patterns on its incandescent face is known as helioseismology, an active - if largely unpronounceable - research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/studying-sol-s-interior-by-looking-for-analogous-patterns-on-its/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Some pundits have proposed that the aliens have come here to breed with us. Apparently, too much bike riding or something similar has rendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-aliens-have-come-here-to-breed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from another star system has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguous-consequence-of-the-claimed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Look, science is hard, it has a reputation of being hard, and the facts are, it is hard, and that's the result of 400…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/look-science-is-hard-it-has-a-reputation-of-being-hard-and-the-facts/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Give consideration to the fact that alien astronomers could have scrutinized Earth for more than 4 billion years without detecting any radio signals, despite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/give-consideration-to-the-fact-that-alien-astronomers-could-have/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [In a movie, it's often important to have aliens whose gestures and facial expressions can be 'read' by humans. And in the days before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/in-a-movie-it-s-often-important-to-have-aliens-whose-gestures-and/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Sure, nobody will make a fortune if we figure out why the Big Bang happened. But just about everyone would like to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/sure-nobody-will-make-a-fortune-if-we-figure-out-why-the-big-bang/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [If you could drive straight down, into a tunnel bored through the crust of the planet, you'd hit this molten mess in about an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/if-you-could-drive-straight-down-into-a-tunnel-bored-through-the/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [While I have always thought that the motivation for looking for E.T. was both self-evident and patently worthy, it's possible that I'm a victim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/while-i-have-always-thought-that-the-motivation-for-looking-for-e-t/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [I studied Latin in high school, and I was reading stuff from Cicero. And that signal took a few thousand years to get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/i-studied-latin-in-high-school-and-i-was-reading-stuff-from-cicero/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [About the only things that are unique to Earth are our biota and our culture. If aliens ever come here, they'd most likely be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/about-the-only-things-that-are-unique-to-earth-are-our-biota-and-our/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [This plucky NASA telescope is able to find planets en masse. If you compare planet hunting to prospecting for gold, then Kepler is equivalent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/this-plucky-nasa-telescope-is-able-to-find-planets-en-masse-if-you/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [The most attractive habitats for synthetic sentience might be the vicinities of exceptional sources of energy - for example black holes, or even the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-most-attractive-habitats-for-synthetic-sentience-might-be-the/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Buying insurance is no one's idea of fun. And it's especially easy to berate something as funky-sounding as writing checks to defend our neighborhoods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/buying-insurance-is-no-one-s-idea-of-fun-and-it-s-especially-easy-to/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Plate tectonics is not all havoc and destruction. The slow movement of continents and ocean floors recycles carbon dioxide dissolved in the oceans back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/plate-tectonics-is-not-all-havoc-and-destruction-the-slow-movement-of/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/here/seth-shostak/#itemlist", "name": "9 Here Quotes By Seth Shostak", "numberOfItems": 9, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It seems that 'rocket scientist' is a job category that's here for the long haul, like 'mortician.' 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Surveys show that roughly one-third of the populace believes that at least some of this sky show is due to extraterrestrial spacecraft, here to probe our airspace and, when that proves boring, our bodies.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/each-year-thousands-of-ufos-are-sighted-and-reported-which-is-an/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a6/seth-shostak-2047_aerial_each-year-thousands-of-ufos-are-sighted_2353169.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a6/seth-shostak-2047_aerial_each-year-thousands-of-ufos-are-sighted_2353169.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a6/seth-shostak-2047_aerial_each-year-thousands-of-ufos-are-sighted_2353169.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Each year, thousands of UFOs are sighted and reported, which is an impressive tally of unidentified aerial…” — Seth Shostak", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Any society that could come here could pick up the lights from New York. What should we do about that? Should we darken New York from now until the last human expires? Would we want to turn off all the radars at JFK airport?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/any-society-that-could-come-here-could-pick-up-the-lights-from-new/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30e/seth-shostak-2047_about_any-society-that-could-come-here-could-p_1127221.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30e/seth-shostak-2047_about_any-society-that-could-come-here-could-p_1127221.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30e/seth-shostak-2047_about_any-society-that-could-come-here-could-p_1127221.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Any society that could come here could pick up the lights from New York. 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Neither one has much reason to antagonize our armed forces.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/about-the-only-things-that-are-unique-to-earth-are-our-biota-and-our/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/seth-shostak-2047_about_about-the-only-things-that-are-unique-to_153101.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/seth-shostak-2047_about_about-the-only-things-that-are-unique-to_153101.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/seth-shostak-2047_about_about-the-only-things-that-are-unique-to_153101.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“About the only things that are unique to Earth are our biota and our culture. If aliens ever come here…” — Seth Shostak", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from another star system has been a nonstop torrent of TV specials. So if you're one of the many who believe the aliens are here, you really do have to admit this: They're the best houseguests ever.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguous-consequence-of-the-claimed/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/seth-shostak-2047_admit_as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguou_35292.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/seth-shostak-2047_admit_as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguou_35292.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/seth-shostak-2047_admit_as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguou_35292.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from…” — Seth Shostak", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 6, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If aliens are really hanging out in our 'hood, it's hard to imagine any other fact more worthy of study. If not, then why does such a large fraction of the populace insist on believing they're here?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/if-aliens-are-really-hanging-out-in-our-hood-it-s-hard-to-imagine-any/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48e/seth-shostak-2047_alien_if-aliens-are-really-hanging-out-in-our_3002616.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48e/seth-shostak-2047_alien_if-aliens-are-really-hanging-out-in-our_3002616.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48e/seth-shostak-2047_alien_if-aliens-are-really-hanging-out-in-our_3002616.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If aliens are really hanging out in our 'hood, it's hard to imagine any other fact more worthy of study. If…” — Seth Shostak", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 7, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Here's a news flash: scientists can be wrong. That's no big deal (unless the scientist is you), since research is self-correcting. Consequently, most errors by scientists become historical curiosities, with little long-term importance.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/here-s-a-news-flash-scientists-can-be-wrong-that-s-no-big-deal-unless/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cad/seth-shostak-2047_become_here-s-a-news-flash-scientists-can-be-wr_312481.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cad/seth-shostak-2047_become_here-s-a-news-flash-scientists-can-be-wr_312481.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cad/seth-shostak-2047_become_here-s-a-news-flash-scientists-can-be-wr_312481.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Here's a news flash: scientists can be wrong. That's no big deal (unless the scientist is you), since…” — Seth Shostak", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The overwhelming bulk of the cosmos is deathly quiet. But here and there - on worlds where matter is thick and conditions are right - noises are commonplace. And in some cases, these noisy worlds may ring with the sounds of life - the bleats and bellows of creatures we have never seen, but may someday discover.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-overwhelming-bulk-of-the-cosmos-is-deathly-quiet-but-here-and/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4d/seth-shostak-2047_astronomy_the-overwhelming-bulk-of-the-cosmos-is-d_2380836.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4d/seth-shostak-2047_astronomy_the-overwhelming-bulk-of-the-cosmos-is-d_2380836.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4d/seth-shostak-2047_astronomy_the-overwhelming-bulk-of-the-cosmos-is-d_2380836.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The overwhelming bulk of the cosmos is deathly quiet. But here and there - on worlds where matter is thick…” — Seth Shostak", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Some pundits have proposed that the aliens have come here to breed with us. Apparently, too much bike riding or something similar has rendered them incapable of reproducing within their own species. But do extraterrestrial infants toddle through your neighborhood?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-aliens-have-come-here-to-breed/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/381/seth-shostak-2047_alien_some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-alie_22768.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/381/seth-shostak-2047_alien_some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-alie_22768.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/381/seth-shostak-2047_alien_some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-alie_22768.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Some pundits have proposed that the aliens have come here to breed with us. 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