One question I find interesting is how the discovery of any extraterrestrial life might reshape our economy in terms of technological development, labor markets, and geopolitical power. For example, if alien technologies were discovered and could be reverse-engineered, some industries might become obsolete while entirely new sectors—like interstellar resource extraction, space logistics, or alien communication networks—could emerge. Would there be an economic shift relating to trade with an extraterrestrial civilization, or the creation of entirely new markets for alien-derived materials or knowledge? Jill Tarter inspired this question when she discussed how space exploration and discovery might not just open up new frontiers of knowledge, but also new economic ecosystems. She emphasized the potential for collaboration, trade, and competition in these areas, and pointed out that access to alien artifacts or technologies could become a source of both national power and international contention. This raises profound implications for the global economy, especially if only a few countries or corporations monopolize contact or technological integration.
However, the speculative nature of these consequences makes this a difficult question to answer, especially since we have no precedent for how human societies might respond to non-human intelligence. Economic institutions, like central banks, regulatory bodies, and international trade agreements, are all designed around human behavior and terrestrial resources—so there is an unpredictable aspect of how adaptable they would be in the face of such a radical change. Current frameworks might not be able to keep pace with the speed of change that alien contact might provoke, or, perhaps, entirely new systems of economic governance will be required.