City lights could point to E.T.

Astronomers suggest that artificial illumination creates a signature that could point to the existence of civilizations on other worlds — and they say we should get started on a survey of the edges of our own solar system, just in case.

The technique could conceivably be extended to other stars once next-generation telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope and the Giant Magellan Telescope come online, over the next decade or so. There's been a lot of debate over whether the traditional search for radio signals from alien civilizations might be fruitless if E.T. moved beyond analog radio transmissions — and the search for artificial illumination could be worth checking out as a new frontier.

MSNBC Article

This is a different technique than using radio signals. But, other civilizations out there could be using a totally different light source than what we use here on Earth. This will be interesting to see if anything comes about.

By artificial illumination, I'm assuming that they mean visible light.
If we are talking about a totally different species on a different planet, perhaps they didn't develop and evolve to see in the visible light spectrum.
Perhaps they only see infrared, or only xray, etc...
Think about the fish that live miles below sea level in 100% complete darkness. Think about a bat. As we know, it doesn't see at all. It uses sound. If something like that can live right here on planet earth, imagine the possibilities of something living on a totally different planet.

To be just be searching for visible artificial light is only a fraction of all that we should be looking for

Originally posted by QuantumPhysicist
By artificial illumination, I'm assuming that they mean visible light.
If we are talking about a totally different species on a different planet, perhaps they didn't develop and evolve to see in the visible light spectrum.
Perhaps they only see infrared, or only xray, etc...
Think about the fish that live miles below sea level in 100% complete darkness. Think about a bat. As we know, it doesn't see at all. It uses sound. If something like that can live right here on planet earth, imagine the possibilities of something living on a totally different planet.

To be just be searching for visible artificial light is only a fraction of all that we should be looking for

edit on 11/2/11 by QuantumPhysicist because: (no reason given)

WOW! Very nice summary dude!

Star for you.

reply to post by QuantumPhysicist


All bats do see, just not very well. See wikipedia Bat's other senses.

Originally posted by QuantumPhysicist
By artificial illumination, I'm assuming that they mean visible light.
If we are talking about a totally different species on a different planet, perhaps they didn't develop and evolve to see in the visible light spectrum.
Perhaps they only see infrared, or only xray, etc...
Think about the fish that live miles below sea level in 100% complete darkness. Think about a bat. As we know, it doesn't see at all. It uses sound. If something like that can live right here on planet earth, imagine the possibilities of something living on a totally different planet.

To be just be searching for visible artificial light is only a fraction of all that we should be looking for

edit on 11/2/11 by QuantumPhysicist because: (no reason given)

You make an excellent point....and I think its this: We don't even know what we don't know! We cannot even imagine the possibilities that other galaxies or other worlds contain. We look to the stars with a construct called human perception. Our ability to see, hear, or smell may pale in comparison to what's out there.

Interesting. Didnt the Russians take infared images of Mars that showed a underground city the size of LA? Of course this isnt something you would read in MSM and i'm sure it was quite a few years ago now.

Originally posted by iksose7
Interesting. Didnt the Russians take infared images of Mars that showed a underground city the size of LA? Of course this isnt something you would read in MSM and i'm sure it was quite a few years ago now.

I think it was called the Phobos Incident, or something like that.

Originally posted by Cosmic911

Originally posted by QuantumPhysicist
By artificial illumination, I'm assuming that they mean visible light.
If we are talking about a totally different species on a different planet, perhaps they didn't develop and evolve to see in the visible light spectrum.
Perhaps they only see infrared, or only xray, etc...
Think about the fish that live miles below sea level in 100% complete darkness. Think about a bat. As we know, it doesn't see at all. It uses sound. If something like that can live right here on planet earth, imagine the possibilities of something living on a totally different planet.

To be just be searching for visible artificial light is only a fraction of all that we should be looking for

edit on 11/2/11 by QuantumPhysicist because: (no reason given)

You make an excellent point....and I think its this: We don't even know what we don't know! We cannot even imagine the possibilities that other galaxies or other worlds contain. We look to the stars with a construct called human perception. Our ability to see, hear, or smell may pale in comparison to what's out there.

With this in mind, looking at it from the other side, it is quite possible that other life out there doesn't even acknowledge the existence of stars or 'what's out there'. If they don't see in the same spectrum, maybe they can't see the stars. If for example, they have two or more moons, in theory they could provide enough light to create eternal daylight. Just because WE look up at the stars and wonder, what makes us think that other life out there does? They may not even 'think' like we do, they may not even think about what the stars are... there is so much we assume and even more we don't know. Funny lot us humans...

reply to post by Cosmic911


Our ability to smell, see, and hear pales in comparison to whats "here".

Originally posted by karen61057
reply to post by Cosmic911

 

Our ability to smell, see, and hear pales in comparison to whats "here".

You are a heretic!!! lol

Astronomers suggest that artificial illumination creates a signature that could point to the existence of civilizations on other worlds — and they say we should get started on a survey of the edges of our own solar system, just in case.

This part is the most interesting one.
Have they discover something already?Something like a civilization on the Moon?Or Mars?Or Venera?Or Titan?

Hm...Interesting.I'm happy i'm alive thats for sure.

Originally posted by QuantumPhysicist
By artificial illumination, I'm assuming that they mean visible light.

They could mean LASERs too

Laser-like signal coming from Tucanae

Astrophysicist Ragbir Bhathal at the University of Western Sydney discovered a "suspicious" laser-like signal coming from the southern constellation Tucanae during a SETI sweep. Bhathal is still investigating the signal and scanning the coordinates for a repeat detection.

Signals from Space

well gives a whole new meening to ill leave the lights on for you. lololol
Every one talking about inferred and such well maybe some do see that way But i am will to put money on just as many seeing in the same spectrum we do .
Nature is logical if any thing wile animals that move around mostly at night have other ways of seeing (even they have eyes) almost every animal that moves in the day sees as we humans do in visible light the main difference being some can not see color .
what does all highly evolved life of earth have in common? well four limbs (legs arms wings ) = to 4
two eyes on noise one mouth . ALL highly evolved life on earth has this every thing NOT a insect or germ or fish even though even they mostly have eyes .
now what does this tell you? chances are when we meet aliens they will have two eyes a noise and mouth .
The only way I can even immange other wise is if insects somehow evolved lungs and internal skeletons .
then and only then could i immange a giant man sized smart alien spider .
Of corse give nature enough chances im sure she can pull that off even .not sure I want to meet aliens taht evolved from insect origins as most would make humans look like boy scouts . Army ants with intelligence no movie could even come close how fast they would destroy us .
A true totalitarian socoiaty . just look at what teh ones without smarts can do cl;ear out villages no other way just get out of the way and they are less tehn a inch long

Originally posted by xxcalbier
The only way I can even immange other wise is if insects somehow evolved lungs and internal skeletons .
then and only then could i immange a giant man sized smart alien spider .

Well let me help you visualize