Scientists have a new idea to contact alien civilizations: build a huge laser and start blasting exoplanets with messages.<\/p>
We could build such a laser, according to research by MIT scientists published Monday in The Astrophysical Journal<\/em><\/a>, with technology that either exists today or requires just minor developments.<\/p> The laser is more of a homing beacon<\/a> than a death ray. A one or two-megawatt laser, beamed out through a 30 to 45-meter telescope,<\/strong> would be powerful enough to reach planets as far as 20,000 light years away. For reference,<\/strong> the star nearest our sun is Proxima Centauri, which is just over four light years<\/a> from us.<\/p> If any planet hit with our laser that happens, by some infinitesimally small chance<\/a>, to host extraterrestrial life that had developed advanced technology, its occupants would be able to look back at Earth and see signs of life.<\/p> The scientists behind this research are counting on SETI, the government agency responsible for scanning the night sky for alien life, to complete more full-sky scans and invest in the infrared technology that could help identify which distant planets likely have habitable atmospheres<\/a>.<\/p> With those advances and if there are aliens out where with a laser of their own — that’s a big “if” — the researchers argue that we could have a back-and-forth conversation over decades or centuries, with each message taking many years to reach its target.<\/p> READ MORE:<\/strong> E.T., we’re home<\/a> [MIT News<\/em>]<\/p> More on the search for alien life: Scientists want Your Help Crafting a Message to Aliens<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p> See the original post here: Phone Home Scientists have a new idea to contact alien civilizations:\u00a0build a huge laser and start blasting exoplanets with messages. We could build such a laser,\u00a0according to research\u00a0by MIT scientists\u00a0 published Monday in The Astrophysical Journal , with technology that either exists today or requires just minor developments. Death Star The laser is more of a homing beacon than a death ray.\u00a0A one\u00a0or two-megawatt laser, beamed out through a 30 to 45-meter telescope , would be powerful enough to reach planets as far as 20,000 light years away Continue reading Death Star<\/strong><\/h2>
Waiting Game<\/strong><\/h2>
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A Giant Space Laser on Earth Could Blast Messages at Alien Planets<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"