Hydrogen cyanide is one of the most reactive and toxic molecules we know, but astrobiologists view it with almost alchemical qualities for the origin of life.
Origin-of-life researchers assume that intelligently-designed experiments in the lab can inform them about the emergence of life without design – in short, that design proves non-design.
For an enterprise that has failed for 50 years, SETI gets good press. There are many worthy enterprises on the planet; what is it about SETI that gets honorable mention with nary a critical word?