I found the discussion about funding for Professor Tarter’s work especially interesting in her interview with Professor Goodman. The issue of finding funding for research has not come up very often in these discussions, probably because most of the subjects’ research require less money and are well supported by the government or universities. The search for extraterrestrial life requires large amounts of capital because of the need for advanced technologies and possibly even rockets and spacecrafts. While it would be great if NASA supported her research, I am interested in the idea that private sources might be able to fill in the gaps when public funding dries up. As space exploration becomes increasingly privatized, I imagine researchers like Professor Tarter will need to find ways to get private support for their work. I think science fiction and the public fascination with finding extraterrestrial life provides an opportunity to do so. As someone who already has a role in the universe of science fiction, I think Professor Tarter should lean into that position in society in order to secure more support and enthusiasm for her work, as she already seems to do somewhat.
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