Pete Worden (Breakthrough Initiatives)
Abstract. Some of humanity’s most extraordinary endeavors lie in scientifically and philosophically probing where we come from and if we are alone. The pursuit to find evidence of life in the universe is of paramount importance, as is determining where our civilization is going next. As humanity may be on a pathway to become an interplanetary species — and possibly even an interstellar species we need to ask some fundamental questions. Is there life elsewhere? Where, and how, should we look for it? What about the possibility of life in other star systems? Could we detect it? Is it intelligent? Can we go there? What technologies do we have in hand that addresses these matters, and what technologies must still be created? The Breakthrough Initiatives, as part of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation began a program to answer these questions on July 20, 2015 at the Royal Society in London along with Stephen Hawking and funding from Yuri Milner. As Chairman of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation, Dr. S. Pete Worden will address these questions and the Breakthrough Initiatives programs.