Space

'Strong Signal' From A Nearby Sun-like Star Was Proven Hoax, Not From Aliens

Alex Davis
First Posted: Aug 31, 2016 09:31 AM EDT

Astronomers detected a noise wave 95 light-years away from the Earth. The report regarding the detection last August 29 has been spreading fast. News that this star has the possibilities of an extra-terrestrial world is making the rounds in social media and different news sites. However, a new update breaks this rumor and showed that it is but a mere hoax.

Experts detected the strong signal using a radio telescope. The route of the signal directed them to a star named HD164595 near the constellation Hercules. It is 95 light-years away from with the size of the sun. With the use of RATAN-600 radio telescope in Southwestern Russia, experts picked up the said signal.

According to The Verge, with regards to the unnatural signal, it was discovered way back May of 2015, but scientists made it public just recently for a reason. Member of the Search for Extraterrestrial Institute's team emailed the result "Candidate SETI Signal Detected" to a few people. It reached science and tech writer Paul Glister and wrote it in his website titled "Candidate SETI Signal Detected" he said that, "the possibility of a noise of one form or another cannot be ruled out, but the signal is provocative enough that the RATAN-600 researchers are calling for permanent monitoring of this target."

SETI American astronomer, Jill Cornell Tarter, said that the announcement about the signal was a breach of protocol. The study has been released without confirming it with other facilities or even the fact that the signal will be seen or heard again.

"This process contradicted the common sense protocols that we've tried to develop over the years, and was announced without ever seeing the signal again, without any other facility confirming it, or even being asked to try to do so before the public announcement." 

Updated research even shows that it is not clear if the radio signal is correct and where it's coming from. The RATAN-600 radio telescope used by the scientist is unconventional. Tarter added that the signal could have been coming from a lot of directions. If it's indeed signal coming from an extra-terrestrial world, the energy could have been stronger and more detectable. For the studies to be proved, separate research must be done, and different radio telescope will be use, and it's not even sure if the signal will come back.

Tarter also shared, "Right now we are stuck with requiring persistence and repeatability, we have a very little sensitivity or believability for transient signals such as the Wow! Signal or this one. Technology may just be getting to the state where we can begin building 'all sky all the time' systems, but we aren't there yet," reports Gizmodo.

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