Author Topic: Fast Radio Bursts: is this First Contact? (Read 1897 times)

Charlotte · « **on:** 30 July, 2014, 08:50:09 am »

It looks like we've been the target for a series of fast radio bursts, originating from outside the galaxy since at least 2001, possibly much further back. There's a remote, but very real possibility that this isn't a natural phenomena and that it could actually be First Contact.

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/187065-mysterious-fast-radio-bursts-from-outer-space-astronomers-baffled-suggest-they-could-be-alien-in-origin

There's a good analysis by boingboing's Maggie Koerth-Baker here:

Quote

I included that last quote in the excerpt so that:
A) We are reminded to look at this news conservatively, with a cool head and clear eye.
B) We all know who to send mocking letters to if it turns out to be aliens.

Baggsy first go in The Machine

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #1 on:** 30 July, 2014, 09:42:12 am »

You've got to see this in the bigger picture. Mattc's space geckos. The recent demolition of Didcot A's cooling towers. We know where they're going to land, we know who's guiding them in and we know who they are - extra-terrestrial audax lizards!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2 on:** 30 July, 2014, 09:59:32 am »

Did it mention a lurgid bee?

red marley · « **Reply #3 on:** 30 July, 2014, 01:11:42 pm »

In space, nobody can hear you confuse your singular and plural nouns.

Kim · « **Reply #4 on:** 30 July, 2014, 01:27:18 pm »

Glenn Miller aside, I hope it's not aliens, because I'm frankly embarrassed by the behaviour of my species.

andrewc · « **Reply #5 on:** 30 July, 2014, 03:15:50 pm »

Dunno, I think humanity would benefit from a good dose of Culture.....

Though I'm reminded of an early Clarke short story when humanity is briefly entered into the log of advanced species after discovering nuclear fission, only to be immediately removed when the aliens find what we've used it for

T42 · « **Reply #6 on:** 30 July, 2014, 03:24:25 pm »

Given the energies involved - 300,000 years of solar output per millisecond - if aliens are using them for signalling I'm not sure we'd want to meet.

Basil · « **Reply #7 on:** 30 July, 2014, 05:06:42 pm »

Stephen Hawking said some time ago that he was sure that aliens were not visiting this planet because a) We'd certainly know about it and b) we'd certainly not be enjoying it.

Trull · « **Reply #8 on:** 30 July, 2014, 05:14:37 pm »

All very interesting, a new natural phenomena to add to the list. Those of us old enough will recall the LGM records which turned out to be gamma ray bursts which we can now trace to find supernovas. Its fascinating - the logical engineer inside me thinks that given the huge energies involved if this was created by a civilisation, would this not have sterilised them at the same time?

spesh · « **Reply #9 on:** 30 July, 2014, 08:09:04 pm »

Quote from: Trull on 30 July, 2014, 05:14:37 pm

All very interesting, a new natural phenomena to add to the list. Those of us old enough will recall the LGM records which turned out to be gamma ray bursts which we can now trace to find supernovas. Its fascinating - the logical engineer inside me thinks that given the huge energies involved if this was created by a civilisation, would this not have sterilised them at the same time?

If such a civilisation was high enough up the Kardashev scale to be able to spam the universe in this fashion, you would think that they will have worked out how to avoid getting irradiated out of existence.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #10 on:** 30 July, 2014, 08:30:50 pm »

Quote from: spesh on 30 July, 2014, 08:09:04 pm

Quote from: Trull on 30 July, 2014, 05:14:37 pm
All very interesting, a new natural phenomena to add to the list. Those of us old enough will recall the LGM records which turned out to be gamma ray bursts which we can now trace to find supernovas. Its fascinating - the logical engineer inside me thinks that given the huge energies involved if this was created by a civilisation, would this not have sterilised them at the same time?

If such a civilisation was high enough up the Kardashev scale to be able to spam the universe in this fashion, you would think that they will have worked out how to avoid getting irradiated out of existence.

I hadn't thought of spam. If it is First Contact, imagine how disappointed $SCIENTIST will be when it turns out to be adverts for "Vigara" and safely and naturally enhanced mortgages.

spesh · « **Reply #11 on:** 30 July, 2014, 08:54:59 pm »

Or an intergalactic 419 scam, as theorised by Charles Stross in a spoof article for Nature magazine in 2005

:

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v436/n7054/full/4361206a.html

Dibdib · « **Reply #12 on:** 31 July, 2014, 08:59:29 am »

Quote

THE/OWLS/ARE/NOT/WHAT/THEY/SEEM

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #13 on:** 31 July, 2014, 09:52:10 am »

Quote from: Dibdib on 31 July, 2014, 08:59:29 am

Quote
THE/OWLS/ARE/NOT/WHAT/THEY/SEEM

Too right. One of them manages the England foopball team.

woollypigs · « **Reply #14 on:** 31 July, 2014, 10:27:06 am »

When they get here*, I just hope they don't behave like we did when we "discovered" the Americas and other remote places on this little rock. But then again would something that can travel at ludicrous speed do a pit stop here? If they travel at our current max speed they would have taken off way before we started to bang stones together.

* as said above if they get here we will know. And they will not look much like us either.

What I find funny in so many books and movies - alien land here, people run away erm they came from outer space, so you are only prolonging the time until the probe.

Chris S · « **Reply #15 on:** 31 July, 2014, 10:36:48 am »

How strange - I watched Contact recently.

Canardly · « **Reply #16 on:** 31 July, 2014, 11:24:02 am »

Was the original discovery of this the 'Wow' incident? (Refers to notation made on print out at the time). I seem to recall a news item/programme containing a reference some years ago.

woollypigs · « **Reply #17 on:** 31 July, 2014, 11:36:01 am »

I remembered that too and did a quick search - two years ago it was 35 years ago the wow signal was found.

Woofage · « **Reply #18 on:** 31 July, 2014, 11:41:45 am »

Quote from: Dibdib on 31 July, 2014, 08:59:29 am

Quote
THE/OWLS/ARE/NOT/WHAT/THEY/SEEM

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #19 on:** 05 August, 2014, 09:10:57 am »

"We stand on a great threshold in the human history of space exploration. If life is prevalent in our neighbourhood of the galaxy, it is within our reach to be the first generation in human history to finally cross this threshold and learn if there is life of any kind beyond Earth."

Steph · « **Reply #20 on:** 05 August, 2014, 02:13:41 pm »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Serve_Man

BrianI · « **Reply #21 on:** 05 August, 2014, 07:30:38 pm »

I, for one, welcome our alien overlords!

Just so long as they look like Mothra!

levitator · « **Reply #22 on:** 05 August, 2014, 11:20:59 pm »

It appears,one of the most promising ET home planets has disappeared off the radar:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25842-first-lifefriendly-exoplanet-may-not-exist-after-all.html#.U-FX8ONdXTo
Personally, I blame Darth Vader.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #23 on:** 06 August, 2014, 02:07:12 pm »

Quote from: levitator on 05 August, 2014, 11:20:59 pm

It appears,one of the most promising ET home planets has disappeared off the radar:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25842-first-lifefriendly-exoplanet-may-not-exist-after-all.html#.U-FX8ONdXTo
Personally, I blame Darth Vader.

They insisted on him having a tray...

Author Topic: Fast Radio Bursts: is this First Contact? (Read 1897 times)

red marley

Chris S

levitator