Trials require applying legal rules of conduct, sorting out conflicting views of events, and deter- mining fair compensation. Scientists may be needed to es- tablish cause and measure harm, but the main purpose of a trial is not to expand scientific knowledge. There are strong justifications for many legal practices that are resented by scientists. Coaching scientific experts before a trial, for example, can help shape testimony to meet legal standards of proof and responsibility. Parties to a lawsuit may have to keep information confidential until they have established a strategy.
Confidentiality also makes it much easier to settle cases without expensive trials.
This means using the frequencies we have more carefully. Otherwise, precious information from space will be lost. Astronomers will be forced to spend even more time and effort ensuring that the cosmic data they measure contains no false signals from man-made sources. The first is to continue to reserve certain radio bands for scientific purposes. These frequencies should be guarded from commercial applications in the same way that national parks are protected.