SETI Uses Radio Frequencies to Look for Alien Life in More Than 1,000 Galaxies

Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) lately carried out a search of greater than 1,300 galaxies for indicators of alien life utilizing unexplored low radio frequencies. The search was reportedly carried out utilizing the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), a radio telescope positioned within the Australian outback. This effort focused radio frequencies within the 80–300MHz vary, a comparatively uncharted space for SETI, which historically focuses on increased frequencies just like the 1,420 MHz hydrogen emission line. Despite the search, no extraterrestrial indicators have been detected, although the findings have helped to refine the expectations of doable alien transmitter energy.

Exploring Uncharted Frequencies

The search was led by Chenoa Tremblay from the SETI Institute in California and Steven Tingay, the director of the MWA at Curtin University in Australia. Their work centered on a 30-degree area of view within the Vela constellation, inspecting 2,880 galaxies. 

Among these, the distances to 1,317 galaxies have been recognized with excessive accuracy, permitting the researchers to position constraints on the ability of any potential transmitters in these galaxies. The outcomes indicated that the search may need detected a sign with a transmitter energy of seven x 10^22 watts at 100 MHz.

Significance of the Findings

Although no indicators have been discovered, the study has supplied helpful insights for future SETI analysis. The constraints set by this search will information additional research, significantly within the low-frequency vary. Tremblay and Tingay famous that Earth itself has highly effective low-frequency radio emitters, which justifies the continued exploration of this vary, in accordance with a Live Science report. The analysis highlights the significance of masking a variety of frequencies to extend the possibilities of detecting extraterrestrial indicators sooner or later.

As the seek for alien life continues, these findings underscore the challenges and complexities concerned in scanning the cosmos for indicators of clever civilizations.