SETI Advances and the Question of Contact: A Berkeley Science–Theology Panel (April 17, 2026)

To the point

SETI has new gear and a method to detect faint bursts that could let us contact nearby stars, and on April 17, 2026 a Berkeley gathering will explore why knowing about extraterrestrial intelligence matters for science, theology, and ethics, with Grace Wolf-Chase, J. J. Hurtak, Desiree Hurtak, and Ted Peters on a panel led by Christopher Ocker and Braden Molhoek, plus input from Lorien Fenton and Williams Dhelonga Biarufu, S.J., as they consider how contact could reshape world religions and our self‑image as Earthlings, with a nod to science fiction openness and options to join in person or by Zoom.