The most remote spacecraft, Voyager 1, has found something that should not be. The object produces an unidentified signal that doesn't follow any recognizable pattern.
For many years, scientists have been hunting for signals showing that there might be life on other planets. Recently, a string of bizarre incidents has intrigued the scientific world. A recurring signal every 22 minutes, bizarre readings on the Voyager missions, and Oumuamua's weirdness have ignited arguments over whether or not we really are alone in the universe.
The recurring signal
Since 2018, researchers have identified a deep space radio signal that recurs every 22 minutes. This is an unusual frequency and doesn't align with the known pulsars or magnetars, which tend to release signals at much shorter frequencies.
Signal features
It has been consistent since its discovery in 2018.
It differs from the normal emissions of the known
pulsars or magnetars.
It has an "intelligent" pattern, as if it were a designed transmission.
Astronomers have attempted to account for it in terms of known astrophysical processes, but no theory yet fits. This has made some wonder that it might be a message from an advanced civilization attempting to make contact.
The Voyager probes and bizarre data
The Voyager 1 and 2 probes are central to space exploration in the far reaches. They were sent in 1977 and went farther than all other manmade space vehicles. Since departing from the solar system, though, they have returned strange and random information.
Theories
Equipment failure : Maybe their systems are failing
because the probes are very old.
Undetected interference : Other theorists have
proposed that whatever is going on in the interstellar distance is changing the
signals.
External cues : A less obvious alternative is that an
external agent is hacking or even trying to communicate with them.
Oumuamua: The Baffling Interstellar Visitor
In 2017, astronomers spotted an interstellar object crossing our solar system. Named Oumuamua, this object displayed unusual properties that could not be explained by conventional science.
Baffling behavior
Incongruous, elongated shape : In contrast to normal
asteroids and comets, Oumuamua was elongated, shaped like a cigar.
No cometary tail : There were no signs of gas that
would suggest cometary activity.
Unexpected acceleration : When it left the solar
system, Oumuamua's acceleration cannot be explained by the gravity of the Sun.
Some researchers have suggested that it might be a remnant of a destroyed exoplanet, while others, including astrophysicist Avi Loeb, have speculated that it might be an artificial spacecraft or probe from an extraterrestrial civilization.
Are we getting messages from space?
These phenomena have created a likelihood that we might not be alone in the universe. Most scientists are on the lookout for natural explanations, yet the theory of potential extraterrestrial contact cannot be fully dismissed.
Chances to take into consideration
Unexplained natural phenomena : Science has perhaps
not yet found the cause behind such anomalies.
Artificial signals from an advanced civilization : If
a civilization is sending us messages, we might not be interpreting them
correctly.
Errors in our observations : Some of these events could be due to failures in instrumentation or in our understanding of the cosmos.
Conclusion
The 22-minute signal, the Voyager probe anomalies, and
the mystery of Oumuamua serve as a reminder that the universe is still a
universe full of mysteries. With technology moving forward, we will soon be in
a position to provide an answer to the most significant question of all: Are we
alone in the universe, or have we already been contacted without knowing it?
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