SETI Institute Launches Discovery and Futures Lab to Explore the Human Dimensions of Life Beyond Earth

Introducing the Discovery and Futures Lab

April 21, 2026, Mountain View, CA -- The SETI Institute announced the launch of the Discovery and Futures Lab, a new interdisciplinary initiative dedicated to understanding the global scientific, philosophical, and societal dimensions of discovering life beyond Earth.

Why this lab now?

The Discovery and Futures Lab’s mission is to anticipate and explore humanity’s responses to the discovery of life beyond Earth by connecting science with other kinds of research. It unites experts in astrobiology, SETI, social science, ethics, law, communication research, futures studies, and more to examine implications and guide preparedness.

Discovery as a process, not a moment

As scientific tools become more powerful, the likelihood of detecting biosignatures or technosignatures continues to grow. Discovery is not a single definitive event. It is complex and evolving.

The Discovery and Futures Lab is built on this understanding. It focuses on how discoveries unfold over time. It also examines how they are communicated and how individuals and societies understand and react to them.

Mission and scope

"I'm incredibly excited to be a part of the Discovery and Futures Lab at the SETI Institute,” said Lucian Walkowicz, Co-Director of the Lab. “I see this effort as part of the SETI Institute's longstanding commitment to responsible science, and I hope it will be a transformative research accelerator for how we understand and communicate about the discovery process in the search for life."

Key research questions

The Discovery and Futures Lab is an innovative research initiative. It brings together a wide-ranging, global community of researchers who tackle key questions such as: 

• How should scientists communicate uncertain or evolving discoveries?
• What are the social, ethical, and legal implications of detecting life beyond Earth?
• How can we prepare for misinformation and public reactions, and promote worldwide coordination?
• What can past false alarms teach us about future discoveries?

How the Lab works

Through fellowships, workshops, and collaborative research, the Discovery and Futures Lab will develop new knowledge, policy insights, and public-facing resources. These efforts support responsible science. They also encourage informed global dialogue.

A new model for interdisciplinary research

This new initiative builds on the SETI Institute’s long-standing leadership in scientific research and public engagement. Its approach is:

• Interdisciplinary and Impactful: connecting and fostering meaningful exchange between researchers from the sciences, social sciences, the humanities, policy, and communication
• Intergenerational: engaging both established leaders and early-career researchers
• Collaborative and International: partnering with researchers and institutions worldwide
• Responsible: prioritizing ethical aspects and social impacts 

By considering all these perspectives, the Discovery and Futures Lab aims to strengthen how humans prepare for transformative discoveries. It also seeks to ensure that scientific advances are understood in their full global context.

A transformative moment for humanity

“The discovery of life beyond Earth, whether simple, complex or technological, will be among the most profound and transformative discoveries in human history – and it will touch everyone,” said Bill Diamond, SETI Institute President and CEO. “How will such an extraordinary moment impact science, geopolitics, religion, culture, technology and our own understanding of our place in the Cosmos? This new lab will consider these questions and more generally explore the ways in which major new discoveries unfold and evolve.” 

Leadership

The Discovery and Futures Lab is led by a team bridging science, social science, and the humanities:

• Dr. Lucian Walkowicz, Co-Director: Astronomer, artist, and educator, focused on the search for life in the universe and the social impacts of space exploration.
• Dr. Chelsea Haramia, Co-Director: Philosopher and ethicist whose work focuses on astrobiology, technology, and environmental ethics.

The Discovery and Futures Lab operates as part of the SETI Institute’s Carl Sagan Center for Research, under the leadership of Director Dr. Nathalie Cabrol and Deputy Director Dr. Simon Steel.

Research community and Fellows

The Discovery and Futures Lab has an inaugural cohort of three Research Fellows: Dr. Rebecca Charbonneau (history), Dr. George Profitiliotis (futures studies), and Dr. Jordan Bimm (science communication). Senior Advisor Dr. Kathryn Denning, an Expert Advisory Group, and Early Career Researcher Liaisons support the leadership team, ensuring a dynamic, interdisciplinary, and visionary research program.

Together, they will guide an initiative that advances knowledge and helps shape how our species navigates one of the most significant possible discoveries in history.

About the SETI Institute

Founded in 1984, the SETI Institute is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary research and education organization whose mission is to lead humanity’s quest to understand the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the Universe and to share that knowledge with the world. Our research encompasses the physical and biological sciences and leverages expertise in data analytics, machine learning and advanced signal detection technologies. The SETI Institute is a distinguished research partner for industry, academia and government agencies, including NASA and NSF.

Contact information

Rebecca McDonald
Director of Communications
SETI Institute
[email protected]

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