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Infrared Telescope in search of extra-terrestrial life

Maybe we are looking for extra-terrestrials in the wrong way

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For many decades our search for extra-terrestrial life has been limited to detecting intelligent radio signals that would point to the idea of advanced civilizations in outer space and if a signal like this is verified it would be an undeniable proof that ET exist.

However, the only signal that we had so far was the WOW! Signal in 1977, and that was only once. But since then nothing else, at least not publicly announced. However what if the way that we look for extra-terrestrial intelligence is wrong? What if their method of communication is completely different from ours?

A team of astronomers and scientists from the University of Hawaii and a few other Universities from all over the world are thinking out of the box and trying to propose solutions from a different perspective, and the method they propose is to use infrared light. In an article in the Astronomy magazine, Jeff Kuhn of the University of Hawaii and his team suggest that the use of a very large telescope able to pick up infrared radiation patterns from an exoplanet would possibly be the key for detecting extra-terrestrial intelligent life.

Of course that makes absolutely sense, since heat radiation is something that any kind of life we know and any kind of civilization would emit. Power is something that every civilization needs and any energy source emits heat. A large enough telescope would be able to observe planets within a radius of 60 light years of the Sun.

What would be the size of such a telescope? Well the current IR telescopes are not big enough, the one that the scientists suggest would have to have a primary mirror of 77 meters in diameter. Such a telescope would be able to locate hundreds of planets in the habitable zone of star systems.

By John Black

 
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John Black

Dr John (Ioannis) Syrigos initially began writing on Ancient Origins under the pen name John Black. He is both a co-owner and co-founder of Ancient Origins.

John is a computer & electrical engineer with a PhD in Artificial Intelligence, a... Read More

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