Hypothetical space portal question, if Earth scientist did locate one, would they attempt to open it?

Behind every large scale financial endeavour, bei it the space programme, the large hardon collider, or sending a probe to an alien space portal to activate and open it, is a politician funding it.
So the actual question is, would a politician task a scientist with opening it. And that depends on how it would affect his reelection chances, which in turn depends on how scared the populace is of any aliens that might be lurking beyond the veil.

To speculate though, I would open it and send some probes through.
The portal is there, so someone put it there at some point in the past, which means that whoever built the thing most likely knows that humans exist.
If they have any plans of invading your planet, they will do that sooner or later, regardless of whether or not humans open the portal to have a peek.
If they are hostile, then it is strategically wise to go through the portal, gather intel, and try to prepare for an invasion to the best of your ability. If you do not go, you will not know when they swarm out, how many there are, or what their level of technology is.

If they are friendly, then there is no danger in establishing first contact and maybe get some advanced alien tech in negotiated trade agreements, which could solve all sorts of problems.

It, the question, is also irrelevant.

^ Then I will send you the link to my cactus question, that might be relevant enough for you..

This question is covered in a book called Pandemonium by Christopher Brookmyer. He’s a very funny writer but he might not be to your taste though @Hypocrisy_Central as he is very irreverent, especially in this book.

I balk at the “irellevance” of where. We are SO limited in what we can reach that the WHERE is damned near everything. In fact it is the Where which will determine who if anyone has a shot. And of course, given the variety in personalities and motives, if it is within the reach of many, SOMEBODY will open it. The same inevitability can be depressingly applied to nuclear devices.

Hahaha, have a word man.

Yes. probably wouldn’t even stop to worry about the consequences either.

@stanleybmanly I balk at the “irellevance” of where. We are SO limited in what we can reach that the WHERE is damned near everything
I say irrelevant because as of today we would not have the ability to reach ”there” as it would most likely be beyond the Moon. People would get caught up with the distance of the portal from here and not the larger question of trying to open it no matter the distance. Even if people of Earth cannot reach it today, or make use of it, if there was a way to open it by laser, microwave, etc. from great distances scientist might try to do so because they feel they can. If they do so because they feel they can, or to prove the data they extrapolated was actually valid, what is on the other side, or where it leads might be a secondary afterthought.

I think it’s human nature to just do it.

@ragingloli whoever built the thing most likely knows that humans exist.
Maybe they are just waiting to find out if and when we are ripe.

Wherever the thing appears, it will be governments facing the decision, and if it’s off the planet, only a handful of governments (today) would have the option of mounting an expedition. If aliens place the thing within range of us, their intentions would have to be assessed as friendly (though stupidly naive). If their intentions were otherwise, they could simply come streaming out of the thing and kick the shit out of us. As for expectations on the behavior of earth bound governments at the appearance of the greatest and most valuable discovery in the history of mankind, you can rest assured that the behavior will be about as disgraceful as can be imagined.