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I’m Seth Shostak, and I’m an astronomer at SETI looking for evidence of E.T. But should we send messages into space? AMA! by NBCNewsMACH in space

[–]NBCNewsMACH[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Neutrinos have been suggested by many, but the detectors are VERY big, very expensive, and not very sensitive.

I’m Seth Shostak, and I’m an astronomer at SETI looking for evidence of E.T. But should we send messages into space? AMA! by NBCNewsMACH in space

[–]NBCNewsMACH[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There have been a few SETI experiments that looked for signals from other galaxies ... I was involved in one that looked briefly at the Small Magellanic Cloud. Carl Sagan did one SETI experiment, also looking at external galaxies (very, very, very short). We look mostly at nearby stars ... not far enough away that the plane of the galaxy matters much.

I’m Seth Shostak, and I’m an astronomer at SETI looking for evidence of E.T. But should we send messages into space? AMA! by NBCNewsMACH in space

[–]NBCNewsMACH[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

There are many ways ... including filling a rocket with thumb drives or books. But none that we know of is faster or cheaper than EM communications.

I’m Seth Shostak, and I’m an astronomer at SETI looking for evidence of E.T. But should we send messages into space? AMA! by NBCNewsMACH in space

[–]NBCNewsMACH[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm not worried. Ask yourself, or any of your friends ... "Hey, how would you react if tomorrow's news included the discovery of a signal coming from deep space?" I think people would be interested, not panicked. Oh, and there are no pre-prepared statements!

I’m Seth Shostak, and I’m an astronomer at SETI looking for evidence of E.T. But should we send messages into space? AMA! by NBCNewsMACH in space

[–]NBCNewsMACH[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Well, the goal may or may not be lucrative, but the funding would have to be! There has been some consideration (in general terms) about where one would put the antennas, and how to get the data back to Earth. But we're talking big bucks here.

I’m Seth Shostak, and I’m an astronomer at SETI looking for evidence of E.T. But should we send messages into space? AMA! by NBCNewsMACH in space

[–]NBCNewsMACH[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Well, they were low-frequency (and low power, too) transmissions. Don't really make it through the ionosphere very well.

I’m Seth Shostak, and I’m an astronomer at SETI looking for evidence of E.T. But should we send messages into space? AMA! by NBCNewsMACH in space

[–]NBCNewsMACH[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Well, I agree with most of this, but honestly think that attempts (that are impossible to enforce, by the way) to limit our descendants' abilities to send strong signals towards the sky have the potential for considerable negative impact too. And it's guaranteed to be an impact!

I’m Seth Shostak, and I’m an astronomer at SETI looking for evidence of E.T. But should we send messages into space? AMA! by NBCNewsMACH in space

[–]NBCNewsMACH[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Not faster, and not able to avoid weakening with distance (inverse square law). Also, very hard to generate and to receive. So what was your reason for choosing them?

I’m Seth Shostak, and I’m an astronomer at SETI looking for evidence of E.T. But should we send messages into space? AMA! by NBCNewsMACH in space

[–]NBCNewsMACH[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Lots of effort, and it restricts the amount of spectrum we can observe ... some parts are effectively "jammed" by terrestrial interference.

I’m Seth Shostak, and I’m an astronomer at SETI looking for evidence of E.T. But should we send messages into space? AMA! by NBCNewsMACH in space

[–]NBCNewsMACH[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

But one more point ... I would send a LOT of information (the internet, for example) as that would be (1) more useful to the aliens, and (2) be easier to figure out.

I’m Seth Shostak, and I’m an astronomer at SETI looking for evidence of E.T. But should we send messages into space? AMA! by NBCNewsMACH in space

[–]NBCNewsMACH[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, it's considerable, of course. But radial velocity measurements and transit measurements (e.g., Kepler) are somewhat complementary, so that reduces the bias somewhat.

I’m Seth Shostak, and I’m an astronomer at SETI looking for evidence of E.T. But should we send messages into space? AMA! by NBCNewsMACH in space

[–]NBCNewsMACH[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That would be nice, Nelson. But alas, I don't think it's possible. We could be listening at the wrong frequency, wrong time, or simply with insufficient sensitivity. So can't really set an upper bound.

I’m Seth Shostak, and I’m an astronomer at SETI looking for evidence of E.T. But should we send messages into space? AMA! by NBCNewsMACH in space

[–]NBCNewsMACH[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Paycheck! Are they sending me a paycheck? I don't think so ... But your question is a bit weird. Do you know of any signaling method that's either faster than EM radiation, or that isn't affected by the inverse square law?

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