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Should SETI Be Looking For Lasers Instead?

Posted by timothy on from the mutant-sharks-come-free dept.

colonist writes "Frank Drake, creator of SETI's famous equation, says the detection of extraterrestrial radio signals won't work, because Earth's own radio signal will only be around for 100 years. More and more of Earth's communications use cable and satellites, with no radio-frequency leakage to space. Instead, we should be looking for intentional signals in the form of high-powered lasers that could 'outshine the sun by a factor of 10,000'. Meanwhile, Paul Davies writes that we should be conducting SETI in our DNA. In turns out that an alien message designed to last millenia should be 'inside a large number of self-replicating, self-repairing microscopic machines programmed to multiply and adapt to changing conditions', otherwise known as living cells. Are we the message?"

12 of 694 comments (clear)

  1. Message from aliens in our DNA finally found! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The message only contained two words:

    FIRST POST!

    1. Re:Message from aliens in our DNA finally found! by zeptic · · Score: 4, Funny

      As long as it isn't "Hello World".....

  2. My guess on the message... by miknight · · Score: 5, Funny

    "We apologise for the inconveniance."

  3. message of means? by Tjebbe · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe we should consider the possibility that we are part of a device to perform some calculation to find the answer to a certain big question.

  4. are we the message ? by selderrr · · Score: 4, Funny

    yup. And the message is 41,99999999 (ad finitum)

    --
    When will I end this grieving ? When will my future begin ?
  5. I for one... by MisterLawyer · · Score: 5, Funny

    I for one welcome our DNA-speaking, laser-shooting overlords. :-D

  6. So now we are looking for... by hool5400 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Aliens with frickin' laser beams on their heads?

    Because that would rock.

    --

    Remember, it takes 42 muscles to frown and only 4 to pull the trigger of a sniper rifle.
  7. Re:Optical SETI by Amiga+Lover · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm not really sure I want to be looking to make contact with aliens who are pointing FRICKEN LASERS at us.

  8. Re:If they outshine Sol by 10,000x... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Do not look at the alien civilization with your remaining eye."

  9. Re:Satellites? by prockcore · · Score: 4, Funny

    And exactly since when do satellite uplink transmissions stop at the satellite? The uplink is a radio wave, albeit a directed one. It might still be possible to pick up an alien uplink signal.

    Fuck... if aliens are anything like us, the signal is going to have DRM all over it.. you know, to ward off space pirates.

  10. Re:Optical SETI by hashwolf · · Score: 4, Funny

    how about we set up SETI to search for radioactivity residue slung into space ??

    Sure, radioactive sludge thrown in space is a sure sign of intelligence.

    --
    - "They misunderestimated me."
  11. (OT) This is the first time I have ever seen... by CausticPuppy · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...a post consisting only of a single non-alphabetic character, getting modded to +5.

    Truly we live in amazing times.

    --
    -CausticPuppy "Of all the people I know, you're certainly one of them." -Somebody I don't know