Extraterrestrial

New search aims to find evidence of aliens beyond our galaxy

By T.K. Randall
September 1, 2024

Image: OVRO 40 Meter Radio Telescope
Credit: Salvor Hardin / CC BY-SA 4.0 (adapted) The new endeavor, which is a collaboration involving the SETI Institute, the Berkeley SETI Research Center and the International Center for Radio Astronomy Research, involves using the Murchison Widefield Array in rural Australia to look for alien technosignatures in deep space.

Thanks to the observatory's large field of view, it is possible to observe 2,800 distant galaxies in a single observation, widening the search for alien life well beyond anything attempted before.

"This work represents a significant step forward in our efforts to detect signals from advanced extraterrestrial civilizations," said SETI's Dr. Chenoa Tremblay who is co-leading the study.

"The large field of view and low-frequency range of the MWA makes it an ideal tool for this kind of research, and the limits we set will guide future studies."According to SETI, in order for an alien civilization to be advanced enough to send a message from another galaxy that we could pick up here on Earth, they would need to have mastered the technology needed to harness power from nearby stars.

Sadly, the first search conducted as part of this new collaboration failed to find any sign of alien signals, but what has been learned during the process will prove beneficial moving forward.

"While this first study did not find any technosignatures (signs of alien technology), it provides insights that will help focus future searches," SETI wrote in a press release.

"It shows how important it is to keep exploring different radio frequencies and using the unique capabilities of telescopes like the MWA."

Source: Gizmodo

Tags: Alien, Extraterrestrial