https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwTJSN9vu40

Professor Avi Loeb has a fascinating proposition: somewhere out there could be advanced alien technology, and apparently all we need to find it is better telescopes, sophisticated equipment, massive research programs and—minor detail—a mountain of funding.

Preferably someone else's.

Because nothing gets taxpayers reaching for their wallets quite like the possibility that a strange object in the sky might be extraterrestrial technology.

Can't prove it's aliens? That's precisely why we need more funding.

Still can't prove it's aliens after spending the money? Clearly, we need better equipment and even more funding.

It's a beautifully self-sustaining economic ecosystem. The less we know about aliens, the more money we apparently need to investigate them.

So come on, taxpayers. Dig deep. Somewhere in the universe there could be an extraterrestrial civilisation waiting to make first contact.

And apparently, before they can phone Earth, Avi just needs someone to approve the research budget.

The truth is out there.

The invoice is down here.