Funding the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence with a Lottery Bond

摘要

I propose the establishment of a SETI Lottery Bond to provide a continuedsource of funding for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). TheSETI Lottery Bond is a fixed rate perpetual bond with a lottery at maturity,where maturity occurs only upon discovery and confirmation of extraterrestrialintelligent life. Investors in the SETI Lottery Bond purchase shares that yielda fixed rate of interest that continues indefinitely until SETI succeeds---atwhich point a random subset of shares will be awarded a prize from a lotterypool. SETI Lottery Bond shares also are transferable, so that investors canbenefact their shares to kin or trade them in secondary markets. The totalcapital raised this way will provide a fund to be managed by a financialinstitution, with annual payments from this fund to support SETI research, payinvestor interest, and contribute to the lottery fund. Such a plan couldgenerate several to tens of millions of dollars for SETI research each year,which would help to revitalize and expand facilities such as the AllenTelescope Array. The SETI Lottery Bond is a savings product that only can beoffered by a financial institution with authorization to engage in banking andgaming activities. I therefore suggest that one or more banks offer alottery-linked savings product in support of SETI research, with the addedbenefit of promoting personal savings and intergenerational wealth buildingamong individuals.