MIT researchers: Lasers could send bat signal to aliens

originally posted by: Cohen the Barbarian

originally posted by: SolAquarius
The nearst star is four light years away at minimum that would be a back in forth conversation of intervals of four years. From there on out the stars get further and further away.

Eight years minimum. Four years to get there, four years for their answer to get back to us, plus whatever time it takes for them to decide id they want to answer us and what they want to say.

And that's assuming that there is anyone or anything in that star system. The stars start going from 4 light years up to 7 10 20 so an even longer lag in those cases. Basically this is limited to stars within 40 light years unless folks are willing to wait over a century for a return call from ET.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

I have watched the Falling Skies series it would be interesting...

If aliens are there they already have our radio and television signals from the past 110 and 74 years respectively, so shining a light is just like saying "we are over here", but along with the radio and tv signals, they have to be looking for it and still be able to understand and respond to us.

originally posted by: Moohide
If aliens are there they already have our radio and television signals from the past 110 and 74 years .

That means that any star system roughly 30 light years away will get to experience the best 80s television has to offer.