Astronomers Say "No, No, it's Not Space Aliens" So That's Time to Run #Science #Astronomy

The Virgo constellation, where Ross 128 is located © NASA

We hate to nitpick, mates, but that's a galaxy and not a constellation.


Here's Virgo:

Virgo as depicted in Urania's Mirror, a set of constellation cards published in London c.1825

WIKI:  Virgo (constellation)


Astronomers on the hunt for habitable worlds beyond our solar system say they have picked up “strange signals” emanating from a nearby star, 11 light years away.

Scientists from the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico are studying red dwarf stars in the hope that they might find planets orbiting them. On May 12, they observed mysterious radio signals emanating from a star called Ross 128.

Could these radio signals be signs of extraterrestrial life? Prof. Abel Méndez, planetary astrobiologist and director of the Planetary Habitability Laboratory at the University of Puerto Rico, doesn’t think it’s very likely.

“In case you are wondering, the recurrent aliens hypothesis is at the bottom of many other better explanations,” Méndez wrote in a recent blog post.

RT:  Astronomers baffled by mysterious signals emanating from dwarf star

But you know how it goes, don't you, Space Cowboy.  They only make statements like that to reduce panic.

We saw "Deep Impact" and that was just a big rock but they didn't tell us anything.  There was also "2012" and did they tell us?   Nooooo, they didn't say a thing until we were already screwed.

Ed:  time for the aluminum hats?

It looks that way, my brother, since they're not just for Pastafarians anymore.  With those hats we may be able to pick up their signals and be forewarned.  Be ever vigilant, my brothers and sisters.


There are clues in the report.

Whatever the signals are, they are “not local radio frequency interferences” and are “unique to Ross 128,” as similar observations of other stars did not show anything quite like it.

- RT

The signals could not possibly have originated locally on Earth and they don't come from anywhere else except this star.  Add it up, mates ... that screams SPACE ALIENS to the Rockhouse.


There is one sad note to the story.

He’ll be having a drink to celebrate if and when results come in. “I have a Piña Colada ready to celebrate if the signals result to be astronomical in nature,” he said.

- RT

Piña Colada?  Cripes, mate, you're talking about encountering the first intelligent creatures we ever located in the Universe and you won't even be breaking out the whisky?