Durham Declaration on SETI and UAP Research

24 April 2025

You can now read and endorse the Durham Declaration on SETI and UAP Research.

^{Photo courtesy of NASA James Webb Telescope}

Endorse the Durham Declaration on SETI and UAP Research by filling out our form.

By filling in this form you agree to have your name published on our website showing your endorsement of this declaration.

Preamble

CONSIDERING that since the middle of the 20th century, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence has been looking for evidence in outer space;

CONSIDERING that for much longer, humans have reported experiences with unknown phenomena on Earth, and that in a large number of cases it remains unclear whether such phenomena were and are of non-human origin, unknown and unexplained natural or psychological events, or secret human technology;

EMPHASISING that any evidence of non-human intelligence would be of existential importance to humanity as a whole, and that there is a corresponding need for rigorous and sustained serious research;

THE UNDERSIGNED endorse the proclamation of the following Declaration:

Article I

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) and the research into Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) [SETI and UAP Research] are legitimate fields of academic research. This includes the natural and the social sciences, as well as the arts and humanities: Both fields cannot be holistically and epistemologically understood unless these disciplines work together and complement each other.

Article II

SETI and UAP Research needs to conform to the highest demands of academic rigour and methodological transparency according to the best practices in each of the above disciplines. There shall be no presumption that the methods of any one of these disciplines are a priori superior to those of the others.

Article III

SETI and UAP Research needs to be brought into the mainstream of general academic research. To this end, any remaining reservations based on reputational concerns and similar objections must be overcome, in particular with regard to the control of academic journals and other academic publishing outlets.

Article IV

SETI and UAP Research shall pursue a position of independence from the agendas of governmental or quasi-governmental as well as private institutions, be it on the national or international levels.

Article V

SETI AND UAP RESEARCH includes advocacy aimed at influencing the public policy debate in order to achieve the aims under Articles I to IV.

The Durham Declaration is endorsed by:

Professor Michael Bohlander, Durham University, UK

Mr Philippe Ailleris, The Netherlands

Professor Eric Hilgendorf, University of Wuerzburg, Germany

Dr Christopher Senn, USA

Dr Andreas Anton, Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, Germany