2026-06-25 09:05:36
An astronomer claims to have figured out why aliens have yet to make contact with humans on earth.
In a study published in The Astrophysical Journal, the paper’s first author, astronomer Vishal Gajjar, explained they think the “technological signals” being sent from extra terrestrial civilisations are potentially being affected by other “space weather”.
Vishal explained: “If a signal gets broadened by its own star’s environment, it can slip below our detection thresholds, even if it’s there, potentially helping explain some of the radio silence we’ve seen in technosignature searches.”
Another reason for the silence could be because astronomers and researchers are looking for the “wrong shape” signals.
Traditionally, they look for narrowband signals – sharp spikes in the hertz power of a radio emission.
With Trinity College Dublin astronomer Evan Keane telling Live Science: “These don’t occur naturally. So, if you see something very narrowband, you know that it is from something of interest.”
However, the new research found that alien signals could be distorted by space weather around their home planets and stars – meaning that scientists wouldn’t be able to pick them up while looking for narrowband signals.
Michael Garrett, a University of Manchester astrophysicist who wasn’t involved in the research, told Live Science: “It is a solid contribution that SETI researchers and signal-processing teams should pay attention to.
“One of the strengths of the paper is that it’s grounded in real measurements too, drawing on decades of spacecraft observations.”
However, he did also point out that analysing narrowband signals is only one way of looking for extra terrestrial life.
Meanwhile, a new tool from Stanford University is aimed at helping scientists work out which planets and stars are worth exploring with their powerful telescopes.
The STEHM – Smaller Than Earth Habitability Model – is a piece of software that analyses planets to see if they are geologically active enough to potentially house an atmosphere.
Lead author Michelle Hill, who developed STEHM, said: “The only way that we’re going to ever find out if there are signatures of life out there is by observing the atmosphere of these planets.
“Maybe there’s life on other planets under the ground, but we are never going to be able to see it because we can’t send something to those exoplanets.
“The best chance we’ve got is looking for signs of life by analysing atmospheres from afar.”
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