Home Technology Scientists are picking up some weird signals from outer space

Scientists are picking up some weird signals from outer space

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Aliens exist. We live in the same world as Darryn – we know this already. However, despite looking at the obvious evidence available on earth, scientists continue to be on a mission to hopefully find traces of potential intelligent life outside of this planet (not that we have much on the planet, but I digress).

To do this, astronomers use radio telescopes around the world that can listen on different frequencies for signals picked up from outer space. Or perhaps listen in on the discussions coming from the international space station, because even outside of earth governments don’t want anyone to have privacy.

Well, apparently some scientists claim to have found some interesting sounds of late (and it’s apparently not the rumble from my stomach). According to CNET, on Tuesday, a team using CalTech’s Owens Valley Radio Observatory near Bishop, California, reported that it managed to capture a new, non-repeating signal dubbed FRB 190523 and trace it back to a galaxy nearly 8 billion light-years away.

They were not the only ones though as an Australian team working with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder announced they had burst back to its source galaxy, some 4 billion light-years away, along with a  Russian observatory also reported a batch of nine more FRBs, including a new repeater. Repeating FRBs are kind of a big deal because they’re rare (the latest from Russia is just the third ever to be captured) and easier to trace to a source galaxy.

So, what does all this mean? Well, likely nothing though the fact that so many FRBs have been identified in the space of the week is certainly interesting. Several possible explanations for what causes FRBs have been proposed, ranging from powerful neutron stars to extra-terrestrial intelligence. Though the truth is, scientists still don’t know, though if anything, the fact that all these FRBs have been found in different locations means that whatever causes them, it can come from different locations. Whatever the source turns out to be, it’s worth remembering that the mysterious signals travelled billions of years to reach us, so if the explanation is aliens, they’re some very ancient aliens. Or Star Wars has been true all along and this is just the remnants of those galaxies far, far away hitting us now.

So, do we have a lot of intelligent life out there in our galaxy or are these just cosmic farts that are nothing to get excited about?

Last Updated: July 8, 2019

57 Comments

  1. Original Heretic

    July 5, 2019 at 18:11

    If there is no life out there, it would an awful waste of space.

    Reply

    • HvR

      July 6, 2019 at 13:59

      If wasn’t so big we weren’t be able to live in the small rock we live on.

      Also the chance of intelligent life living in the vast universe at the same time on similar intelligence level at similar technology level and close enough to be contact with each other is actually very very very slim.

      I mean just look at Sagan addition’s to the Drake equation; in just the last 100 years we have come close to half a dozen times to eliminate ourselves as intelligent species capable radio signal transmission.

      Reply

      • Original Heretic

        July 8, 2019 at 08:09

        It may be a very slim chance, but with the universe as large as it is, even a 0.0001% chance puts the number of alien life species out there in the millions.
        Plus, we cannot simply discount ALL the UFO encounters through the human history. Yes, some are/were hoaxes, and some could have some other explanation, but there are numerous very compelling cases of UFO sightings.

        Reply

        • Pariah

          July 8, 2019 at 09:20

          Millions of people think the Bible is compelling. So I’d take any “UFO” cases with a pinch or 12 of salt.

          Reply

        • HvR

          July 8, 2019 at 19:13

          0.0001% might be heavy over estimation.

          We know about 20% of planets outside our solar system is in the goldilocks zone.
          Then of those 20% they need lots of water, have very large satellite to cause tides and have magnetosphere sufficient enough to shield them from solar radiation. From our existing knowledge is that Earth might be one of a kind in that regard or one of millions.

          What we do know there weren’t millions of advanced civilians around for at least the first couple of billion years of the universe’s existence.

          Reply

        • HvR

          July 8, 2019 at 19:13

          0.0001% might be heavy over estimation.

          We know about 20% of planets outside our solar system is in the goldilocks zone.
          Then of those 20% they need lots of water, have very large satellite to cause tides and have magnetosphere sufficient enough to shield them from solar radiation. From our existing knowledge is that Earth might be one of a kind in that regard or one of millions.

          What we do know there weren’t millions of advanced civilians around for at least the first couple of billion years of the universe’s existence.

          Reply

  2. Rene Avenant

    July 6, 2019 at 15:16

    “To do this, astronomers have set up radio telescopes around the world that can listen for different frequencies and sounds picked up from space” Craig Risi I bet you were the class clown in the grade school you flunked out of.

    Reply

    • The D

      July 8, 2019 at 08:37

      Be nice or get booted from the comments section. Craig writes his butt off on a daily basis as it is, and sour little comments like this are not welcome here.

      Reply

      • HvR

        July 8, 2019 at 15:34

        Agree the comment is idiotic.

        If the editor wants to correct:
        “To do this, astronomers use radio telescopes around the world
        that can listen on different frequencies for signals picked up from
        space”

        Reply

        • The D

          July 8, 2019 at 15:35

          See now this constructive and appreciated. Thanks HVR, will fix up.

          Reply

  3. Jonathon Durno

    July 7, 2019 at 15:59

    Sorry to burst anyone’s bubble, but there is no other intelligent life than the human life on this earth. We are made in the image of God.

    Reply

    • Sins of the Father

      July 7, 2019 at 21:24

      Amen

      “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” Hebrews 1:3

      and

      “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” Genesis 1:26-27

      Reply

      • Matthew Holliday

        July 8, 2019 at 15:54

        You do realise the Catholic Church ratified evolution like 70 years ago right?

        Reply

        • Sins of the Father

          July 15, 2019 at 13:46

          I’m not catholic.

          Reply

    • Kromas

      July 8, 2019 at 07:27

      That is your belief and you have an absolute right to believe it but do not push said belief onto others please.

      Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      July 8, 2019 at 08:37

      Preach my brother….

      Though to be fair Jesus did clearly state he was an alien so using the bible to not believe in aliens is a bit weird

      Genesis 23:4 “I am a stranger and an alien residing among you; give me property among you for a burying place, so that I may bury my dead out of my sight.

      https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/61213977abb72dca342ea9a0e5741fec46a64e2ac5a79ab2c335813e426490d6.jpg

      Reply

    • Jacques Van Zyl

      July 8, 2019 at 09:51

      As somebody who loves God and is thankful for all He’s done in my life – Why? If God is, as I believe capable of making earth, why can’t there be other life out there? If it is possible to believe in angels and demons, why is it so hard to believe in science and statistical probability?

      Reply

    • Mark Treloar

      July 8, 2019 at 07:15

      I suppose you believe the earth is also flat, vaccines cause autism and we are balancing on the back of a giant turtle?

      Reply

    • Gr8_Balls_o_Fire

      July 9, 2019 at 11:38

      This guy for real?

      Reply

    • Unconscious

      September 19, 2019 at 19:46

      Look at this ChristCUCK and laugh.

      Reply

  4. Kromas

    July 8, 2019 at 07:27

    I have yet to find intelligent life on our planet.

    Reply

    • Kenn Gibson

      July 8, 2019 at 08:30

      Exactly. Not much hope for it the universe either.

      Reply

  5. CrAiGiSh

    July 8, 2019 at 08:30

    This is how we get probed … 🙁

    Reply

  6. Gavin Mannion

    July 8, 2019 at 09:13

    If intelligent life is out there and it finds us before we find it we are screwed. The more advanced life will always enslave/kill the lesser advanced one. Unless it thinks we are cute, then we may be lucky and domesticated for their entertainment.

    Reply

    • Pariah

      July 8, 2019 at 09:25

      Well if you look at cats as an example, I wouldn’t mind that lifestyle. I for one welcome being domesticated. FEED ME ALIEN! I’LL PLAY WITH THAT STRING FOR YOU!

      Reply

      • Gavin Mannion

        July 8, 2019 at 09:30

        Are you covered in a nice coating of soft fur? Do you have jelly beans on the bottom of your feet? Can you make a soothing sound from your throat to calm your master?

        If you answer to any of the above is no you are then either food or about to be exterminated…

        Reply

        • Pariah

          July 8, 2019 at 09:40

          We don’t know what the aliens think is cute. Maybe the lack of fur is cute to them? Maybe the lack of ability to sing, or just our voices in general is cute to them? We don’t know!

          Yes, we could be food, BUT we could also be pets. Allowed to sleep all day, entertain our masters at night, and get free food and lodging.

          Reply

      • Jacques Van Zyl

        July 8, 2019 at 15:34

        Going to take a potshot here, solely based on your avatar but… are you suggesting humans be the Neko-chan to Alien-senpai? 😛

        Reply

        • Pariah

          July 8, 2019 at 15:34

          LOL I wouldn’t have thought of that, but in a nutshell, yes.

          My avatar is there for reasons outside of the anime aspect. I do enjoy anime, but it’s about the character itself in this case.

          Reply

          • Jacques Van Zyl

            July 8, 2019 at 15:34

            I’m not familiar with the character – but never pass up an opportunity to talk about catgirls on the internet XD

          • Pariah

            July 8, 2019 at 15:34

            Heh. Astolfo isn’t a girl. 😉 Do a search and read up about him.

    • HvR

      July 8, 2019 at 19:19

      You missing a few scenarios; we are warm, soft and very holey species … we might be kept pleasure entertainment.

      Reply

  7. Gr8_Balls_o_Fire

    July 9, 2019 at 11:38

    They are radio signals. That’s all we know. The source, we can only guess.

    Could be God having a gender-swap for all we know.

    Reply

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