What Happens If We’re Contacted By Aliens? | Alien Documentary | Spark

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The Wow Signal received in 1977 remains a mysterious potential sign of extraterrestrial intelligence, with ongoing efforts, advancements, and projects aiming to detect and confirm life beyond Earth, potentially in the next few decades. Despite significant progress, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence involves complex calculations, mysteries like the Fermi Paradox, and strict protocols for confirmation and global response to any potential indications of intelligent civilizations.

Insights

  • The "Wow Signal" received in 1977 from the constellation Sagittarius, discovered by Jerry R. Ehman, is considered the most probable signal from intelligent extraterrestrial beings due to its unique characteristics and intensity.
  • The search for extraterrestrial intelligence involves both passive methods, like tracking signals, and active methods, such as sending messages into space, with organizations like the SETI Institute using advanced radio telescopes to scan the skies for potential signals, emphasizing the need for thorough confirmation protocols before announcing any potential discovery.

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Recent questions

  • What is the Wow Signal?

    A signal from Sagittarius detected in 1977.

  • What is the purpose of the SETI project?

    Search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

  • What is the Kepler satellite?

    A satellite discovering Earth-like planets.

  • What is the Fermi Paradox?

    A question about the absence of extraterrestrial civilizations.

  • What is the Drake equation?

    An equation estimating the number of intelligent civilizations.

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Summary

00:00

"Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence: A Brief History"

  • On August 15, 1977, a signal from the constellation Sagittarius, known as the "Wow Signal," was received by the Big Ear radio telescope, reaching an intensity 30 times higher than usual signals and lasting 72 seconds.
  • The signal was discovered by Jerry R. Ehman, a collaborator of the SETI project, founded by NASA in 1960 for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
  • Despite the uncertainty of its origin, the Wow Signal is considered the most likely to have been emitted by intelligent extraterrestrial beings among all strange signals received.
  • In 2009, NASA launched the Kepler satellite, leading to the discovery of thousands of Earth-like planets where life conditions might be possible, revolutionizing the search for extraterrestrial intelligent life.
  • Scientists, including Seth Shostak, believe there is a chance of finding extraterrestrial intelligence in the next few decades, with a potential discovery within 20 years.
  • The search for intelligent life beyond Earth is driven by the belief that life exists elsewhere in the vast universe, with advanced radio telescopes scanning the sky continuously.
  • The search for extraterrestrial intelligence involves two methods: tracking signals from other civilizations and sending intentional messages into space, known as active SETI.
  • The "Sounds of Earth" message, launched in 1977, was the most elaborate message to date, included on the Voyager interstellar space probes, containing greetings, music, and images representing Earth.
  • The SETI Institute, founded in 1992 after NASA's funding was terminated, is the main institution dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, using radio telescopes to detect potential signals.
  • Projects like the Allen Telescope Array and SETI at Home have significantly advanced the search for intelligent life, with the Kepler mission identifying thousands of potentially habitable planets, aiding in answering the question of whether we are alone in the universe.

20:53

"Searching for Extraterrestrial Life in Universe"

  • Carl Sagan estimated a million possible intelligent civilizations exist.
  • R star and N sub e are close to 10, while F factors are less than one.
  • The biggest unknown in the Drake equation is L, impacting the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence.
  • Hubble Space Telescope calculated 100 billion galaxies in the visible universe.
  • A trillion Earth-like planets are estimated in the visible universe.
  • Radio telescope advancements may lead to evidence of extraterrestrial life in the next decades.
  • Over 10,000 stars have been examined for intelligent life, with plans to expand to a million.
  • The 21st century is anticipated to be the century of biology, potentially revealing life beyond Earth.
  • Messages have been sent to space, including the Pioneer 10 and 11 plates and the Arecibo message.
  • The Fermi Paradox questions the absence of evidence of extraterrestrial civilizations, with various possible explanations.

40:25

"Extraterrestrial Signals and Potential Impact on Society"

  • SHGB-02 plus 14A, discovered in March 2003 by SETI at Home and confirmed on September 1st, 2004, is a signal with a high statistical chance of being of extraterrestrial origin.
  • Another significant signal was found by Australian astronomer RegB near what later became known as the first habitable planet, Gliese 581, just 20 light years away.
  • SETI emphasizes the need for thorough confirmation before announcing any signal indicative of extraterrestrial intelligence, with a protocol in place for global discussion and response.
  • The Royal Society held a conference in January 2010 discussing the detection of extraterrestrial life and its potential transformative impact on society, science, and technology.
  • The potential discovery of extraterrestrial life could lead to a global protocol, the Declaration of Principles, ensuring broad-based global input in any response to an extraterrestrial civilization.
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