This is an updated version of a short essay I wrote back
in 2007 for the Discovery-Enterprise blog site.
Any discussion concerning
humanity's future in the Cosmos must be founded on assessing the risks we face
as a species. Many of us see space colonization as a form of long-term
insurance policy that would safeguard the long-term future of humankind. And SETI as a step towards becoming
full-fledged members of a Galactic Community of sentient beings exploring the
wider Cosmos.
