A high-powered laser beacon could be visible to alien astronomers up to 20,000 light-years away.
Key Takeaways:
- MIT researchers propose using existing laser technology to create a beacon for extraterrestrial civilizations.
- A 1-2 megawatt laser, focused through a large telescope, could send signals deep into space.
- The laser could be detected by alien astronomers in nearby star systems like Proxima Centauri or TRAPPIST-1.
- Messages could be transmitted using Morse code-like pulses, reaching distant planets in just a few years.
- Due to safety concerns, researchers suggest placing the beacon on the far side of the moon.
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Scientists around the world are working on new ways to detect alien life, but MIT researchers have a different idea: using existing laser technology to create a powerful beacon that could attract extraterrestrial astronomers. Their study suggests that a high-powered infrared laser could be focused through a large telescope and aimed into space, producing a signal that might be detectable from up to 20,000 light-years away.
How Would It Work?
The proposed beacon would require a 1-2 megawatt laser paired with a 30 to 45-meter telescope. This setup would generate an infrared signal strong enough to stand out from the sun’s natural emissions. If an alien civilization was scanning the Milky Way, the beam could be noticeable, particularly to astronomers in nearby star systems like Proxima Centauri or TRAPPIST-1, which is known to host potentially habitable planets.
Beyond merely signaling our presence, the beacon could be used to send messages. Researchers suggest encoding information in pulses similar to Morse code, allowing a message to travel across space at a rate of a few hundred bits per second. Depending on the destination, such signals could reach an alien planet in just a few years.
Potential Challenges and Risks
While most of the required technology already exists, there are some challenges. For one, the beam would be dangerous to human eyesight, as it has an intensity close to the sun’s energy output. To avoid this risk, researchers suggest placing the laser on the far side of the moon, where it would be safely directed into space.
Another limitation is that for an alien astronomer to detect the signal, they would need to be looking directly at the beam at the right moment—an unlikely scenario. Still, MIT researchers believe the concept is feasible and could be a practical method for making contact with other civilizations in the future.
