Astronomers say they ’ve detected " unknown signals " coming from the direction of a modest , dim star located about 11 abstemious - years from Earth .
Researchers pick up the mysterious signals on May 12 using the Arecibo Observatory , a huge radio set scope build up indoors of a Puerto Rican sinkhole .
The radio signaling appear to be come from Ross 128 , ared dwarf starthat ’s not yet know to have any major planet and is about 2,800 times dimmer than the sunlight . Abel Méndez , an astrobiologist at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo , enjoin the star was take note for 10 minutes , during which time the signal was peck up and observed to be " almost periodic " .
Méndez said it ’s extremely unbelievable thatintelligent extraterrestrial lifeis responsible , but take note that the possibility ca n’t yet be ruled out .
" The SETI [ Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence ] groups are aware of the signal , " Méndez wrote in an email to Business Insider .
Explanations for the ' very peculiar ' signalsWhile Arecibo is known for its role in effort to research forsignals from alien , it ’s also great for look at distant galaxies andpinging near - dry land asteroid .
Méndez think the signal is more likely from something humanity put in space , perhaps a artificial satellite that cash in one’s chips thousands of mile overhead .
" The field of horizon of [ Arecibo ] is full enough , so there is the possibleness that the signals were caused not by the whizz but another aim in the blood line of slew , " Méndez say , adding that " some communication satellites carry in the frequencies we detect . "
However , in aJuly 12 blog post about the mystery of Ross 128 , he wrote that " we have never figure satellites breathe bursts like that " and holler the signals " very odd " .
NASA ’s Goddard Space Flight Center / S. Wiessinger
Another possible account is a stellar flare , or burst of vim from the star ’s Earth’s surface . Such fusillade from the Dominicus change of location at unaccented - upper , pass off sinewy tuner signals , and can disrupt satellite and communications on Earth , as well asendanger astronaut .
Solar flare can also be furrow by a slower - moving yet more energetic coronal muckle ejections : a flood of solar particles that can distort our planet ’s charismatic playing area , generate geomagnetic storm , andcripple power gridsandfry electronics .
take another facial expression at Ross 128To see if the signaling are still there , Méndez said Arecibo is hold up to gaze down Ross 128 and its surroundings many more times , starting July 16 .
" winner will be to find the sign again " at the star ’s locating but not in surrounding direction , he aver . " If we do n’t get the signaling again then the mystery intensify . "
Méndez write in his blog post that other radio telescopes might not be sensitive enough to pick up the sign , noting one exception : China ’s monstrous Five - hundred - meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope , or FAST .
But FAST is n’t operational decently now , since it ’s being calibrated , and Méndez said he does n’t lie with when it will be back online .
Seth Shostak , a senior astronomer at the SETI Institute , confirm that the group is " well aware of the sign " and might apply its powerfulAllen Telescope Arrayin California " to check out them out . "
" The chances are in high spirits that they ’re telluric preventive , in fact . That ’s really always been the grammatical case , " Shostak order Business Insider in an electronic mail .
Right now there ’s really onlyone compelling signalfrom out quad that might come up from unknown : " [ T]he WOW signal , " Shostak said . " That one is still quite odd . "
record the original clause onTech Insider . right of first publication 2017 .
Read next : Stephen Hawking warned us about contacting aliens , but this astronomer says it ’s ' too late '
