Scientists use low-frequency radio waves to search for aliens for the first time

In a groundbreaking study, scientists from the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI Institute), the Berkeley SETI Research Center, and the International Center for Radio Astronomy used 100 MHz radio waves to scan distant galaxies beyond our Milky Way, with the goal of detecting artificial signals that could be generated by an advanced civilization.

This is a scientific project to search for evidence of the existence of intelligent life beyond our planet. The project focuses on collecting and analyzing radio signals from space to look for signs of artificial intelligence that could be the work of an extraterrestrial civilization.

Compared with other media, radio waves are superior in their ability to penetrate space and have less signal degradation, becoming a powerful tool in the search for extraterrestrial life.

With the ability to observe a large area of ​​the sky, the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) telescope located at the Murchison Radio Astronomy Observatory in Western Australia has helped scientists simultaneously study 2,800 distant galaxies, opening up opportunities to explore the mysteries of the formation and development of galaxies in the universe.

The MWA telescope is designed to have a wide field of view of the sky thanks to thousands of small dipole antennas distributed over an area about 3 km wide, operating at low frequencies, from 80 to 300 MHz.

Dr Chenoa Tremblay, one of the leading scientists at the SETI Institute, affirmed: “This discovery opens a promising new chapter in the search for intelligent life beyond Earth.”

Scientists are actively searching for evidence of alien technology, also known as technosignatures, on space exploration missions. To date, research has focused mainly on collecting and analyzing signals emitted from celestial bodies in the Milky Way, in the hope of finding traces of an extraterrestrial civilization.

This new method marks a major step forward in the search for extraterrestrial life, opening up the possibility of discovering advanced civilizations in distant galaxies. To be able to transmit signals across enormous cosmic distances, a civilization would need to possess superior energy technology, able to harness the power of millions of stars in their galaxy.

Although the first attempt did not yield the expected results, this research has opened new doors for further discoveries. The detailed information gathered will be a solid foundation for future missions to search for alien life.

Professor Steven Tingay, Director of MWA, shared: “MWA is not only a tool to search for extraterrestrial civilizations but also a window into the vast universe, helping us better understand the stars and galaxies.”

This research is a testament to the continued progress of astronomical technology and paves the way for new discoveries in the future, as telescopes become more powerful, according to Steven Tingay.