Of all the questions that remain unanswered, the question of life in the universe is undoubtedly the one that attracts our attention the most.
In a universe 46 billion light-years away on the observable edge, is it conceivable that we are the only planet where millions or even billions of life evolved, an oasis of life in the cosmic ocean?
In the search for extraterrestrial civilizations, researchers have proposed that bright galactic events such as supernovae may be used as the focal point for civilizations to declare their existence!
SETI is a pioneer in the exploration of extraterrestrial civilizations - the exploration of extraterrestrial intelligence. Founded in 1984, SETI is a non-profit organization dedicated to multidisciplinary research and education.
Its primary goal, of course, is to advance our exploration of the origins of life in the universe. The research covers a variety of techniques such as data analysis, machine learning, and signal detection techniques in the physical and biological sciences.
In an article published in the Journal of Astronomy on February 12, 2024, SETI researchers report an interesting and exciting development in the search for ET. The team monitored the SETI ellipsoid using observations from the Transiting Exoplanet Exploration Satellite (TESS).
The ellipsoid is a geometric method that, based on the time it takes for light to travel through space, identifies an egg-shaped region of space in which any intelligent civilization has time to observe a major astronomical event.
This concept suggests that civilizations may take advantage of this opportunity to synchronize signals based on astronomical events.
This method shows that the effectiveness of combining this technique with continuous wide-field surveys can significantly improve our ability and ability to identify potential signals.
This technique eliminates the uncertainty associated with the estimation of the time of arrival of the signal through year-long observations.
The uncertainty of this approach is only a few months, so the team maximized observations at each target so that they could determine what might be normal and what might be a possible signal.
Artist's impression of ESA Gaia satellite observation of the Milky Way. The background image of the sky is compiled from data from more than 1.8 billion stars. It shows the total brightness and color of the stars observed by Gaia.
TESS data accounts for 5% of the total dataset collected by its three-year mission, so the team used advanced 3D positioning data from GAIA, the European Space Agency's astrometric mission that developed the most accurate 3D map of our galaxy.
As a result of this action, 32 targets were identified in the southern area of the TESS observation zone. Initial analysis did not reveal any anomalies in the spheroidal traversal event.
As we continue our search for ET, the SETI Institute undoubtedly remains at the forefront, leveraging new technologies and techniques to bring us one step closer to one day, perhaps, identifying our cosmic neighbors.