“In archaeology, context is the basis of many discoveries that are imputed to the deliberate workings of intelligence. If I find a rock chipped in such a way as to give it a sharp edge, and the discovery is made in a cave, I am seduced into ascribing this to tool use by distant, fetid and furry ancestors.”

American astronomer and author

G. Seth Shostak is an American astronomer and author, best known as the senior astronomer for the SETI Institute. He has spent his career working in astronomy and public discussion of the search for life beyond Earth. His work at SETI places him at the center of research and outreach on extraterrestrial intelligence. As an author and scientist, he often writes and speaks about astronomy, the search for signals from other civilizations, and related questions about the universe.