Strange radio pulses from another galaxy: maybe aliens?

Since their discovery, about 10 years ago, fast discrete radio pulses do not cease to amaze scholars. These intergalactic bursts of radio emission have , however, according to the new hypothesis, they can be technological in nature. Some researchers suggest that these fast radio pulses can be used by some alien civilization as a means to accelerate their spacecraft. Admittedly, that assumption is highly controversial with many parties, but the idea is worth your consideration though, because by themselves, these pulses are very unusual.

Certainly, reading that radio pulses (FRB) can be created of some advanced civilization of space to move around in interstellar and intergalactic space, you might think that you are not on pseudo-scientific resource, and on any website about UFOs, which usually is brewed similar infostrada. But the truth is that such speculation came quite prominent in their circles scientists – AVI Loeb and Manasvi, Lingam of the Harvard-Smithsonian center for astrophysics. But even in this case, before you consider this still unexplained phenomenon from the point of view of artificial, not a natural astrophysical origin, to collect much more evidence than we have now.

Let us Briefly recall that for the first time fast discrete radio pulses (Fast Radio Bursts, FRB) was discovered by the Australian Observatory of the parks in 2007. And to date, astronomers had recorded 17 episodes of these millisecond bursts of radio emissions. Researchers have tried to explain them in terms of various cosmological phenomena: supermassive neutron stars, gamma-radiation, stellar flares, stellar cataclysms, etc. But their true source to allocate still no one has. The only thing the scientists believe, – FRB-signals come to us from outside our galaxy, overcoming distances of several billion light-years.

In the absence of science has a convincing theory about their origin Loeb and Lingam suggested (and not without reason) that in the creation of these radio bursts could be involved, any extraterrestrial civilization. Came across this thought scientists how strange are these FRB signals. First, they are incredibly hot: the level of the brightness temperature is 10 ^37 (brightness temperature is not quite the usual temperature in their understanding. Typically, this value determine the intensity of microwave radiation stellar object like a pulsar).

Composite image of FRB 121102, originating in the dim and very distant galaxy, located about 3 billion light years from us

"To create this level of observed radiation must have an object that has a very hot surface" — says Loeb.

"We are not aware of any celestial object is able to generate a level of radio emissions with this level of brightness, tens of billions of times exceeds a level of brightness the same the most powerful of the known pulsars".

Another mystery of the FRB signals related to their repetitive nature, which, however, does not have any kind of a certain level of predictability. Scientists believe that this is contrary to the effects that could be expected from some cataclysmic events like stellar collapse, in which a powerful explosion would create a high level of brightness temperature. In addition, the observed spectrum of the FRB signals are concentrated in a certain range, which is not would be expected from those of pulsars.

"All these clues suggest the opinion about their artificial origin", — said Loeb.

In their work, scientists have considered the possibility of creating these distant pulses by some very powerful alien transmitting device. On the basis of this idea, the Loeb and Lingam considered the theoretical possibility of creating such a device, also suggested its potential use. The researchers came to the conclusion that if such a device worked on the basis of solar energy, the area of the object, gathering and generating of the required light energy level, would twice exceed the size of our Earth. Such an area can possess some huge planet or a large space like a hypothetical megastructure Dyson sphere.

To protect from the destruction of similar structures under the influence of unbearable temperatures, most likely, would need use some liquid cooling. Such construction of the translator, according to scientists, this would be far beyond our technological capabilities, but nevertheless would not violate the laws of physics known to us, that in itself is good.

As for the purposes for which an alien civilization could build such a device, according to the scientists, it could be used as interstellar or even intergalactic signal system that tell other intelligent life forms of the existence of another civilization.

"you Can imagine, and the emitter, which creates the directed radio waves and can be used as a light sail. Similar to a conventional sail, which is directed by the wind, the light sail has the momentum of light energy, theoretically allowing you to accelerate to light speed", — continues Loeb.

To create the necessary momentum and make the speed of the light sail, the emitter needs to have incredible power. It is possible that the level of this power is so great that enough of the bargain accelerate objects weighing several million tons (imagine 20 huge cruise liner as an example). According to Manasvi of Lingrepa, such an emitter can send in an interstellar or even intergalactic travel huge space ships with passengers.

Interestingly, our civilization also plans in the near future, the use of light sails for interstellar travel, though on a far less ambitious level. Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and Russian billionaire Yuri Milner think it is a great idea, and so decided last year to invest $ 100 million in project Breakthrough Starshot. And earlier this year, scientists from the max Planck Institute use of the device on a solar sail for exploration of alpha Centauri being the nearest star system.

The scientists lead to the fact that FRB-flares, which we perceive on the Ground can be a "leak" or release the alien side of the system that creates these pulses to speed up the alien spacecraft.

"Radiology dissect different parts of our sky, because the source changes its location relative to us" — explains Loeb.

"This may be due to the peculiarity of the rotation of the object generating this energy, either by the rotation of the star or the entire galaxy as a whole, where is this source. From time to time, the rays are going straight to the Ground and at the same time lead to confusion of our astronomers".

Whatever it was, but such explanations are enough to make the work of Loeb and Lingam was accepted for publication in the scientific journal Astrophysical Journal Letters.

It is Clear that there needs to be much more work and collect more convincing evidence. And yet many scientists agree that this signals are very strange. For example, the Director of research of the SETI Institute Andrew Simeon, indicates that these FRB-signals, like nothing else, forcing scientists to consider the most different and sometimes even weird and crazy ideas about their source. Simeon did not participate in the discussed study, supports the work of Harvard astronomers, even if it has a slightly unconventional approach.

"We can't rule out the possibility that the anomalous signals like those fast pulses can be created by extraterrestrial technology. And though it's unlikely, this idea should still be one of the possibilities that we should not immediately reject", — says Simeon.

"the Work of Lingray Loeb offers an intriguing idea of a special technology behind the limits of our understanding of the traditional forms of communication or radar systems (directed energy) capable of producing short pulses. And while this is very controversial, he is a great example of that in such discussions we should be open to absolutely any suggestions and assumptions, especially when it comes to searching for potential signals from extraterrestrial civilizations."

Despite this remark of Simeon, a new hypothesis should not be considered anything more than another theory attempting to explain the nature of the strange radio pulses, therefore, to make any conclusions now would be foolish. Now all the trend — in the media and among the public — to draw conclusions ahead of time. As one of the latest examples can be considered very , all information which somehow were reduced to theories about aliens, rather than something more scientific and reasonable from the point of view of astrophysics.

Loeb agrees that his hypothesis may sound too fantastic, but, according to the scientist, it should not be excluded simply because it may be for someone about...