Even merely knowing (conclusively) that aliens with advanced technology exist would provide enormous information, cf https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Filte

Even merely knowing (conclusively) that aliens with advanced technology exist would provide enormous information, cf https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Filter https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Filter. This is covered fictionally in Cixin’s The Three Body Problem: When Eart learns the existence of Trisolarians tremendous social and technical changes occur.