Search For ET Just got Easier

Astronomers using the Science and Technology Facilities Council's (STFC) William Herschel Telescope (WHT) on La Palma have confirmed an effective way to search the atmospheres of planets for signs of life, vastly improving our chances of finding alien life outside our solar system.

www.sciencedaily.com...

I'm usually skeptical of claims like this, but at first look this looks promising.
Only a matter of time for we get that particular announcement, finding a signal that is, a potential life bearing exoplanet.

Hundreds of exoplanets have been discovered now, things are progressing rapidly, stay tuned! Obviously finding the small ones is still a problem so it's still an ambitious task, but who knows.

I've always thought that radio waves were a waste of time.
As Terrence McKenna said, "searching the universe for intelligent radio waves is like searching the universe for a good Italian restaurant ."

...but this could be a huge leap in a positive direction, and a nice little primer too don't you think?

Excellent news story, thanks for bringing it to our attention. S/F

Hmmm.... Oh scientist fellows, would you kindly point your telescope at our own solar system first?

reply to post by squiz


"Yawn" Same old same old. I will bet a years wages that we will never get disclosure in the next 20 years, and then some. And wasn't there meant to be a ton of information and hard evidence being announced at the end of may?

And again there was no surprise when nothing transpired.

Its the same tired old "disclosure coming soon" stories that after more than 5 years on here, is rapidly starting to pale. Especially when sod all happens.

This is just another example (the OPs story that is) of an extravagant, no doubt obscene amount of money being wasted on trying to find something that will only be found when it truly wants to be found.

The topic isn't really on disclosure, thesneakiod. The topic is about a new telescope that can increase our chances of finding life on other planets by searching their atmospheres.

I think we should give the telescope a chance and see what happens.

reply to post by thesneakiod


Your probably right about disclosure, but this is about discovery.
And I think the chances are that we will find a signal well within twenty years considering the rate of technological development.

I'd have to say that there are plenty of scientific endeavors that serve as more of a black hole for funding. Pun intended.
But I don't think scientific advancement is a waste of money.

reply to post by squiz


So whats so important about discovering a planet that is too far to ever get there? Just because its earthlike doesn't by any stretch mean its inhabited.

I'm all for scientific discovery, but finding a planet that's probably one of billions then simply postulating about it, is not science, its guesswork.

And what you said about other branches of funding getting wasted, I agree. So why not start looking closer to this planet instead of places we will never get to?

Originally posted by thesneakiod
So whats so important about discovering a planet that is too far to ever get there? Just because its earthlike doesn't by any stretch mean its inhabited.

I'm not shouting disclosure or anything like that, just thought it was interesting and a positive step forward, so I thought I'd share the news.
I think even the awareness of an another Earth like planet with all the relevant biological elements in place would be a big jolt to human consciousness.
It's really that simple and perhaps all we could hope for at this point in time.
I also believe life will emerge anywhere it can get a foothold, so if the conditions are right I think it would be a fair bet. (Guess).

I'm all for scientific discovery, but finding a planet that's probably one of billions then simply postulating about it, is not science, its guesswork.

Cosmology is full of this true, however it's not entirely guesswork, all we are talking about are being able to recognize certain elements in the spectrum that can support life. Life as we know it that is. Who knows what other forms can exist in certain alien atmospheric conditions.

And what you said about other branches of funding getting wasted, I agree. So why not start looking closer to this planet instead of places we will never get to?

Sure, but this probably began not with the intent of searching for life signs. The signals came out much stronger than expected. So now there is an opportunity for expanding discovery.

The search for exoplanets and then potential life bearing exoplanets is a field of it's own. This advances that field. They'll keep looking regardless of who's watching the skies locally.
Besides when they are sighted locally, by multiple witness and multiple radar readings it still has very little impact. Anomalous craft have been observed already but who's to say it's alien?

I don't see how this can be looked at negatively, and I understand your points and agree for the most part. Just sharing the news.

I don't believe any of that. Why would they spend all that money to find extraterrestrials, when all they need to do is look at the reptilian shape-shifters reading the 6 o'clock news on Fox?

reply to post by thesneakiod


What utter rubbish... this has nothing to do with disclosure. We already have found over 200 planets around other stars. This will find smaller planets with traces of water or oxygen on them