Posted on 08/29/2016 8:22:06 PM PDT by TigerClaws
An international team of scientists from the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) is investigating mysterious signal spikes emitting from a 6.3-billion-year-old star in the constellation Hercules—95 light years away from Earth. The implications are extraordinary and point to the possibility of a civilization far more advanced than our own.
The unusual signal was originally detected on May 15, 2015, by the Russian Academy of Science-operated RATAN-600 radio telescope in Zelenchukskaya, Russia, but was kept secret from the international community. Interstellar space reporter Paul Gilster broke the story after the researchers quietly circulated a paper announcing the detection of “a strong signal in the direction of HD164595.”
The mysterious star’s designation is HD164595, and it’s considered to be sun-like in nature with a nearly identical metallic composition to our own star. So far, a single Neptune-like (but warmer) planet has been discovered in its orbit—HD 164595 b. But as Gilster explained, “There could, of course, be other planets still undetected in this system.”
Decorated Italian SETI researcher and mathematician Claudio Maccone along with Russia’s Nikolai Bursov of the Special Astrophysical Observatory are the principal scientists working on the apparent discovery. They claim that “permanent monitoring of this target is needed.” The RATAN-600 Radio Telescope in Russia
The RATAN-600 Radio Telescope in Russia. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
“The signal conceivably fits the profile for an intentional transmission from an extraterrestrial source,” said Alan Boyle, author of The Case for Pluto who reported the story for Geekwire. “In any case, the blip is interesting enough to merit discussion by those who specialize in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.”
The signal’s strength indicates that if it in fact came from a isotropic beacon, the power source would have to be built by a Kardashev Type II civilization. (The Kardashev scale is used to determine the progress of a civilization’s technological development by measuring how much energy was used to transmit an interstellar message.) An ‘Isotropic’ beacon means a communication source emitting a signal with equal power in all directions while promoting signal strength throughout travel.
In his acclaimed work “Transmission of Information by Extraterrestrial Civilizations,” Soviet astronomer Nikolai Kardashev explained that a Type II civilization would be able to harness the energy of their entire host star. The most common hypothetical example of this would be a Dyson Sphere—which is a massive artificial structure that could completely encapsulate a star and transfer the energy to a nearby planet. A cut-away diagram of an idealized Dyson shell, a variant on Dyson's original concept
A cut-away diagram of an idealized Dyson shell, a variant on Dyson’s original concept. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Basically, if the signal was beamed out into the galaxy without aim or direction, that would require an enormous amount of power to actually be detected. But what if the signal was beamed specifically at our solar system? Well, that would require less energy and could indicate the presence of a Kardashev Type I civilization—meaning that it could be a highly technological, contemporary society that harnesses the solar energy emitted by its local star, much like our planet does with solar panels. This particular civilization’s social structure is theorized to be completely globalized and interconnected.
“The signal is provocative enough that the RATAN-600 researchers are calling for permanent monitoring of this target,” said Gilster. And that’s exactly what is transpiring. As of last night, the SETI institute is diverting its Allen Telescope Array in northern California to investigate while their counterparts at METI International (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence) will use Panama’s Boquete Optical Observatory.
The detection of the mysterious signal and the ensuing investigations will be discussed at the IAA SETI Permanent Committee during the 67th International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, on September 27—the same day and location where Elon Musk will reveal his plans to colonize Mars. The Observer will be following up on both these stories from the Congress.
Single side band no carrier.
But at 95 light years distant, a two way link would be very cumbersome. 190 year round trip. Operator continuity would be about 3 life times. The earth side operator receiving the reply to our acknowledgement of the signal won’t be born until about 2166.
extortion of millions of dollars to study it and break social paradigms would be an option
!jeb is calling
Maybe it's the just the sound of them blowing themselves up.
Am I the only one who has read Dark Forrest?
If there is a Kardashev Type I civilization out there that is smart enough to notice us and smart enough to build a signally system to specifically target us, wouldn’t they also be smart enough to invent a signalling language that is easy to discern?
Seems kind of silly to go to all of the effort of sending signals across the universe if we can’t readily recognize them as messages and easily decode them.
SETI is a pathetic joke. They couldn’t find an alien if an inter-dimensional bigfoot stomped all over them.
The notion that aliens would use radio signals is quaint and suggests an incredibly stupid civilization that would broadcast its location to potentially hostile aliens.
Oh, yeah—that’s SETI!
Somne say we're not really here. ;o)
No ... THAT’S oral sex.
For EXTRA protection, use teflon-coated foil. Nothing sticks to it. You can’t be too careful.
Does anyone know what, exactly, Dyson was smoking when he proposed that lunacy?
There’s a fungus among us!!!
An alien amateur pirate radio?
The nose could use a little work.
“We come in peace.”
I would just about pay to see someone pull out a Glock and ventilate an idiot like that.
Then they could play “Alien Autopsy” for real.
The articel was interesting until they started talking about Dyson Spheres. Building a sphere around the sun would take more matter than exists in the entire solar system and would require more energy than you would likely get in return.
Dyson Sphere - Horse shit.
Not a matter of Technology. Do the math would require more material than our entire solar system contains.
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