Because it would be one of the most significant scientific discoveries in history, and that's some serious cred that can build massive nationalistic pride.
It would be one of the most significant scientific discoveries in history. The amount of people that think the moon landing was faked and no longer discuss the achievements of the past, leaves me with a dour attitude towards future significance. It would be nice to have.
Couldn't the same thing be said about gene editing, or deep sea research, or any ongoing frontier research field? I sadly don't see a race blooming out of this.
If there ever were a premise for one in our time it would be fusion, or carbon extraction... but this seems to be either woefully underfunded or in the hands of private enterprise.
Given the way the starlink was heralded by the media, the time of nations challenging each other to technological conquests is now commandeered by the venture capitalists.
> Couldn't the same thing be said about gene editing, or deep sea research, or any ongoing frontier research field?
These are not research fields with a definite, discrete goal condition. They are ongoing research fields.
The discovery of extra-terrestrial life is a huge, discrete goal condition. Everyone will remember which team/country first discovers and demonstrates such life. Few will remember who confirmed it (i.e. who came second).
Fusion wasn't mentioned. Also, the existence of other discrete, world-changing goals does not mean that the discovery of life on other planets is not a discrete, world-changing goal.