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Tobias L

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Are we truly alone in the Universe?

Given the decades that SETI has been in progress, why have we not found a single shred of evidence that proves that there are some form of intelligent civilization existing on other planets? We have advanced so much in just over 200 years since the Industrial Revolution. Billions of stars and habitable planets surround us. Why are our calls out to the Universe returned with chilling silence?

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Topics: astronomy extraterrestrial life
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    Krisztián Pintér 200+

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    TED Translator
    Feb 28 2013: the SETI program has no real chance to find anything at the current level of technology. they don't advertise it too much, but this is the case.

    • Louise Kyte

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      Mar 1 2013: I don't doubt that you're right, but could you explain yourself, please?
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        Krisztián Pintér 200+

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        TED Translator
        Mar 1 2013: SETI listens to microwave radio frequencies. if you observe the pattern of communication on earth, we emit such radiation since the 50s, and they are already on the decline today. mankind uses less and less powerful broadcasts, and many communication becomes cable/optic. there is a peak-radio in a civilization's history.

        the closest atar is the proxima centauri. suppose there is a civilization that has the peak-radio just now, the same size as we had a few years ago. SETI would not be able to detect those signals, they were way to weak. that means that SETI can not pick up random radio chatter.

        it is not all hopeless though. because there are some possible signals that SETI can pick up. aliens might actively try to contact us. in this case they use much stronger signals, or maybe they even direct it to us. there is radio-astronomy, which uses powerful microwave beams for scientific measurements. such beams are very strong and coherent. we could spot such beams too.

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