Could Space Signal Be Alien Contact? - Magazine
Thu 2 September, 2004 11:50
LONDON (Reuters) - An unexplained radio signal from deep space could -- just might be -- contact from an alien civilization, New Scientist magazine reported on Thursday.
The signal, coming from a point between the Pisces and Aries constellations, has been picked up three times by a telescope in Puerto Rico.
New Scientist said the signal could be generated by a previously unknown astronomical phenomenon or even be a by-product from the telescope itself.
But the mystery beam has excited astronomers across the world.
"If they can see it four, five or six times it really begins to get exciting," Jocelyn Bell Burnell of the University of Bath in western England told the magazine.
It was broadcast on the main frequency at which the universe's most common element, hydrogen, absorbs and emits energy, and which astronomers say is the most likely means by which aliens would advertise their presence.
The potentially extraterrestrial signals were picked up through the SETI@home project, which uses programs running as screensavers on millions of personal computers worldwide to sift through the huge amount of data picked up by the telescope.
SETI: Mysterious Signal proof of ETL?
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SETI: Mysterious Signal proof of ETL?
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I think it's very possible that it could be extra-terrestrial life. Although if it is, odds are that the civilization that sent it is either extinct, or much more advanced as when they sent it. Unless, of course, they are very close, relatively speaking.
On the other hand, at this point, odds are just as good that they're getting a feedback from the telescope itself (referred to as "artifact" signal) or that it's some previously unknown natural phenomemon.
I hope it is extra-terrestrial life. It'd be cool to know we're no the only ones out here.
On the other hand, at this point, odds are just as good that they're getting a feedback from the telescope itself (referred to as "artifact" signal) or that it's some previously unknown natural phenomemon.
I hope it is extra-terrestrial life. It'd be cool to know we're no the only ones out here.
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I read about it just before going to bed last night, pretty freaking cool stuff heh?
The only problem I have about the whole article is that instead of giving a bit more detail in the location of the occurance, the author decided to describe it's location using astrological constellations. Yeah, I know... but it would have nicer to have read a name of a nearby star or something along those lines. I know... it's stupid.
Imagine for a moment that in a few years they eliminate nearly all other possiblities, and the one of the remaining choices is that it indeed is a signal of sorts from an intelligent lifeform. What do you think something like that would do to Humanity? What effects would it have on our civilization? Do you think there might be people who would take offense to such a discovery? Would it benefit Mankind, or cause further problems?
The only problem I have about the whole article is that instead of giving a bit more detail in the location of the occurance, the author decided to describe it's location using astrological constellations. Yeah, I know... but it would have nicer to have read a name of a nearby star or something along those lines. I know... it's stupid.
Imagine for a moment that in a few years they eliminate nearly all other possiblities, and the one of the remaining choices is that it indeed is a signal of sorts from an intelligent lifeform. What do you think something like that would do to Humanity? What effects would it have on our civilization? Do you think there might be people who would take offense to such a discovery? Would it benefit Mankind, or cause further problems?
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Re: SETI: Mysterious Signal proof of ETL?
'twas in the article.
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