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SETI Fails To Detect Signals Coming From KIC 8462852 (examiner.com)

MarkWhittington writes: Rare excitement spread through the scientific community and the media when data from the Kepler Space Telescope indicated something strange going on around a star 1,500 light years away called KIC 8462852. An analysis of the pattern of light coming from the star suggested that a swarm of smaller objects was orbiting the planet. Scientists narrowed down the possible explanations for the data to either a swarm of comets or a group of alien megastructures. According to a story in Space Daily, an examination of KIC 8462852 by SETI, using the Allen Telescope Array, has failed to find any evidence that ET exists around that particular star.

5 of 99 comments (clear)

  1. This assumes they are using radio waves, correct? by Hussman32 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If ET were there, couldn't there be other E-M methods that would attenuate before reaching earth? Not saying there are beings there, but just because radio waves aren't there doesn't mean they aren't.

    --
    "Who are you?" "No one of consequence." "I must know." "Get used to disappointment."
  2. There is nobody out there... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    There is no one else out there. Time is big. Really big. The chances of two civilizations existing concurrently is extremely extremely low. Think about it: our modern civilization has lasted a very short time. Even if our civilization lasts another 500 years (doubtful), the chances that another civilization will exist in that same timeframe is extremely unlikely.

  3. In other news, dog bites man, politician corrupt by Crashmarik · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Just how is SETI not finding a signal in anyway shape or form news ?

  4. Re:In other news, dog bites man, politician corrup by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Because there's a difference between not finding it after checking and not finding it after not-checking...?

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    "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  5. Failure means nothing by RubberDogBone · · Score: 2, Insightful

    We have never had ANY reason to assume aliens of any kind use radio as we know it. Even among the life forms on Earth, many of which are very closely related to us, absolutely NONE of them have developed or discovered radio except humans. So therefore, we already know radio happens 1 in some billions of species even when they are our close relatives.

    Among aliens unlikely to be anything like us, we have to assume that they may never have found radio, or use it differently. SETI essentially looks out into space looking to find ourselves. This is just ludicrous. What little we know about space and other planets tells us the universe is incredibly diverse. We aren't going to find another US out there. So no wonder they have always failed.

    --
    Sig for hire.