One day, we might receive a signal from a planet like this (potentially habitable alien planet Gliese 832c). But we should be wary of answering back. Meeting an advanced civilization could be like Native Americans encountering Columbus. That didn’t turn out so well.
– Stephen Hawking
What Is A Wow! Signal?
The Wow! signal was a strong narrowband radio signal detected by the Big Ear radio telescope in Ohio on August 15, 1977. The signal was detected coming from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius, and it appeared to be a possible transmission from an extraterrestrial source. The signal was named the Wow! signal because the astronomer who detected it, Jerry R. Ehman, wrote “Wow!” on the computer printout of the data. The signal has not been detected again. Some scientists believe it could have been caused by a natural phenomenon, while others believe it could have been a transmission from an extraterrestrial civilization. Right now the leading hypothesis is a pair of comets. #science #funfact
There have been many famous signals detected in space, some of which have also been associated with the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence, for example:
Fast Radio Bursts (FRB)
In 2007, a burst of radio waves was detected that lasted for just a few milliseconds. Since then, several other similar bursts, known as fast radio bursts (FRBs), have been detected. The origin of these bursts is still unknown.
Peryton Signals
Short man-made radio signals of a few milliseconds resembling fast radio bursts. First detected at the Parkes Observatory in 1998. Some scientists speculated that the signals could have been caused by extraterrestrial intelligence, but further investigation showed they were caused by premature opening of a microwave oven door nearby.
Lorimer Burst
In 2007, a burst of radio waves was detected that seemed to be coming from a galaxy located about 3 billion light-years away. The burst, known as the Lorimer burst, was extremely powerful and lasted for just a few milliseconds. Its origin remains a mystery, and some scientists speculate that it could have been caused by an exotic event like a collision between two neutron stars.