The Declaration of Principles Concerning Activities Following the Detection of Extraterrestrial Intelligence states that the first thing to do after the detection of a possible signal is to
A) send a reply
B) announce the discovery to the public
C) confirm that it is genuine
D) classify it top secret

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Confirming that the signal is genuine is the first step recommended by the Declaration of Principles Concerning Activities Following the Detection of Extraterrestrial Intelligence, as it is important to rule out any false positives or hoaxes before taking any further action. Sending a reply or announcing the discovery would be premature without first ensuring that the signal is in fact an indication of extraterrestrial intelligence. Classifying it top secret may not be necessary until further investigation and analysis has been conducted.