Since the first humans gazed at the stars and wondered who might inhabit the twinkling orbs, the topic of extraterrestrial life has been one of the most fundamental and fascinating enigmas of all science. Are we alone in the universe? Is someone, or something, watching us? How can we ever know? Scientists and students at Princeton University are searching for answers. With world-renowned theorists, state-of-the-art extraterrestrial signal detectors and university courses discussing "life out there," Princeton has become a hub for alien hunters. At the Institute for Advanced Study, Freeman Dyson ponders effective ways to search for extraterrestrial life. A retired Institute professor and physicist famous for his work in quantum electrodynamics, Dyson believes space explorers should take a hint from game hunters and use a tactic called "pit-lamping" to detect alien life forms. Pit-lamping involves shining a carefully shielded bright light, such as a flashlight, into the darkness to find animals.

The light reflects off the retinas of any creature in the vicinity, making its eyes appear to shine bright red to anyone who stands behind the flashlight. On a planet or moon many millions of miles farther from the sun than the planet Earth is, only a minuscule amount of heat will reach any creatures that might live there.

View: Full Article | Source: nj.com