3 ms·
The article focuses on megastructures for the clicks but it seems the actual project uses the more restrained term “technosignatures” (of which megastructures m
by jl6 5y ago
The article focuses on megastructures for the clicks but it seems the actual project uses the more restrained term “technosignatures” (of which megastructures might be one, albeit a far-fetched one).
A more likely technosignature is the presence in a planetary atmosphere of a chemical that is produced by no known natural mechanism - and that of course would not automatically prove alien life, because we might just have overlooked a possible natural pathway to the production of that chemical.
- queuebert 5y agoMegastructures are probably less likely, yes, but should be a much more confident detection. Who knows all the chemical production networks possible in a planetary atmosphere. But there aren't many ways to make a star-sized perfect blackbody.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- plutonorm 5y agoare they? why?
- perihelions 5y agoThe particular grant highlighted in OP is for transiting megastructures in TESS light curves. I don't think the article was misleading. >"Motivated by these discoveries, we are embarking on a project to quantify the frequency of anomalous fading events-- and hence occulting structures--among main sequence stars. Our objectives are two- fold: First, we will detect or put a stringent limit on the presence of transiting megastructures; second, we will assess the frequency of transiting minor bodies in planetary systems." >"However, the proposed study will enable us to place the most stringent limits yet on the presence of large artificial structures orbiting stars in our Galaxy, and correspondingly on the presence of technologically advanced life." https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/viewrepositorydocument/cmdocumentid=794680/solicitationId=%7BFD9340AF-CB68-3F16-38EF-C9440C3F3CCA%7D/viewSolicitationDocument=1/XRP20%20Abstracts.pdf https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/viewrepositorydocument/...
- morpheos137 5y agoCan you provide an example of such a synthetic chemical, that would be present in levels that would be detectable on Earth from across interstellar space? CFCs?
- kadoban 5y agoIsn't just elemental Oxygen enough, for example? I may be missing something but I think it's unstable in the presence of a huge variety of other elements/chemicals. Of course that could only signal life, at best, can't tell you if it's intelligent.