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Self-organisation is the spontaneous emergence of spatio-temporal structures and patterns from the interaction of smaller individual units. Examples are found across many scales in very different systems and scientific disciplines, from…
There are at least three compelling reasons for the human race to initiate a major programme to explore and better understand the 'minor planets' of the Solar System: (1) Enhancing scientific knowledge; (2) Mitigating the impact hazard; and…
As autonomous systems become more prevalent in the real world, it is critical to ensure they operate safely. One approach is the use of Run Time Assurance (RTA), which is a real-time safety assurance technique that monitors a primary…
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) is a research activity that started in the late 1950s, predating the arrival of "Big History" and "Astrobiology" by several decades. Many elements first developed as part of the original…
How to make artificial intelligence (AI) systems safe and aligned with human values is an open research question. Proposed solutions tend toward relying on human intervention in uncertain situations, learning human values and intentions…
International cooperation is common in AI research, including between geopolitical rivals. While many experts advocate for greater international cooperation on AI safety to address shared global risks, some view cooperation on AI with…
As artificial intelligence continues its unprecedented global expansion, accompanied by a proliferation of benefits, an increasing apprehension about the privacy and security implications of AI-enabled systems emerges. The pivotal question…
This paper aims to provide an overview of the ethical concerns in artificial intelligence (AI) and the framework that is needed to mitigate those risks, and to suggest a practical path to ensure the development and use of AI at the United…
The upcoming phase of space exploration not only includes trips to Mars and beyond, but also holds great promise for human progress. However, the harm caused by cosmic radiation, consisting of Galactic Cosmic Rays and Solar Particle Events,…
This article analyzes trust and security in computing and communications systems. While in human-life, trust usually has some kind of commonly understood meaning, in the realm of computing and communications systems, it could be interpreted…
The adoption of human oversight measures makes it possible to regulate, to varying degrees and in different ways, the decision-making process of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, for example by placing a human being in charge of…
A computational system is called autonomous if it is able to make its own decisions, or take its own actions, without human supervision or control. The capability and spread of such systems have reached the point where they are beginning to…
As drones and autonomous cars become more widespread it is becoming increasingly important that robots can operate safely under realistic conditions. The noisy information fed into real systems means that robots must use estimates of the…
Onboard autonomy technologies such as planning and scheduling, identification of scientific targets, and content-based data summarization, will lead to exciting new space science missions. However, the challenge of operating missions with…
This paper describes current progress on developing an ethical architecture for robots that are designed to follow human ethical decision-making processes. We surveyed both regular adults (folks) and ethics experts (experts) on what they…
Space observatories are having major impacts on our knowledge of the Universe, from the Solar neighborhood to the cosmological background, opening many new windows out of reach to ground-based observatories. Celestial objects emit all over…
Ensuring safe autonomy is crucial for deploying aerial robots in real-world applications. However, safety is a multifaceted challenge that must be addressed from multiple perspectives, including navigation in dynamic environments, operation…
The New Space era has led to a rapid increase in satellites operated by independent entities in near-Earth orbit. This shift enables richer space services but also requires secure, near-real-time coordination, making efficient…
Space settlement represents a long-term human effort that requires unprecedented coordination across successive generations. In this chapter, I develop a comparative hierarchy for the value of long-term projects based upon their benefits to…
The International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) SETI Committee has long provided guiding principles for responding to a potential detection of a SETI signal. The foundational Declaration of Principles Concerning Activities Following the…