Scientists Believe Aliens Have Already Found Us
For decades, humanity has been scanning the universe for any signs of extraterrestrial life. Despite our best efforts, the search for aliens has been unsuccessful. However, recent theories suggest that we may have been approaching the search from the wrong angle. Some astronomers now propose that aliens may have already discovered us, even if we remain unaware of their presence.
We’ve Been Broadcasting Throughout The Cosmos For Over A Century
In 1950, physicist Enrico Fermi highlighted the contrast between the search for extraterrestrial life and the high probability of its existence within the cosmos. If aliens exist, they might not find it difficult to spot us. Between 1900 and World War II, radio transmitters produced powerful signals due to relatively primitive receivers, whose broadcasts would have reached the corners of the universe.
Alien Life Is Likely To Know Of Our Existance Thanks To Space Launches
Additionally, several spacecraft have been launched into the solar system and beyond. According to The Byte, notable examples include NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2 probes, both equipped with transmitters. A study by Howard Isaacson, an astronomer at the University of California, Berkeley, revealed that by the year 2300, the Voyager probes will have alerted over 1,000 stars and aliens to our existence.
According to Isaacson, the signals from these probes would undoubtedly appear artificial. In just eight years from now, the nearest star to us could have received our signals and even responded. Beyond radio transmissions, aliens may have used techniques similar to those used by human scientists to detect exoplanets orbiting distant stars.
Earth Sticks Out Due To The Glow From City Lights
They might have analyzed the Earth’s atmosphere, discovering liquid oceans that could support life. Moreover, the glow of sodium-emitting city lights on our planet is an unmistakable sign of an advanced civilization, making us conspicuous to observers. Aliens could have spotted us due to our pollution, a point raised by the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) scientists.
However, in its current state, Earth may not be sufficiently urbanized to be discernible by aliens. Cities cover less than one percent of the planet’s surface, a far cry from the concept of an ecumenopolis – a planet-spanning city akin to the fictional world of Coruscant in the Star Wars franchise. Nonetheless, if development continues on its current trajectory, urbanization could increase by a factor of ten by 2150.
Alien Tech May Have Super Telescopes With The Ability To Observe Earth For Far Away
Still, it’s entirely plausible that aliens with more sophisticated telescopes could already have the means to observe us. Thomas Beatty, an astronomer at the University of Wisconsin, raises the idea that there might be alien astronomers equipped with a 100-meter (330-foot) space telescope that could be currently surveying our planet.
Even with a smaller telescope, capable of discerning Earth as a faint speck, aliens might still deduce its habitation. Given Earth’s tilt and rotation, aliens could construct a rudimentary map of our surface, delineating landmasses, oceans, and coastlines. Jonathan Jiang, an astrophysicist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, demonstrated this technique in 2018 using a spacecraft within our Solar System.
Have Aliens Chosen To Ignore Us?
Science fiction has long delved into the possibility of aliens visiting our planet, often with catastrophic outcomes. The scientific community remains divided on whether we should actively attempt to communicate with otherworldly civilizations, given the risks. The prevailing concern is that it may already be too late, with aliens having quietly observed us and chosen not to reveal themselves.
