Washington, Nov 4 (ANI): In a new study aimed at finding extraterrestrial intelligence, astronomers have suggested to look out for artificial lights in alien cities rather than using radio signals and ultra-short laser pulses to validate their existence.
Avi Loeb from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and Edwin Turner from the Princeton University rely on the assumption that aliens would use Earth-like technologies and are likely to have artificial illumination that switches on during hours of darkness.
"Looking for alien cities would be a long shot, but wouldn't require extra resources. And if we succeed, it would change our perception of our place in the universe," Loeb said.
As the planet orbits, it goes through phases similar to those of the Moon, so when it's in a dark phase, more artificial light from the night side would be visible from Earth than reflected light from the dayside.
As a result the total flux from a planet with city lighting will vary in a way that is measurably different from a planet that has no artificial lights.
The researchers also calculate that today's best telescopes ought to be able to see the light generated by a Tokyo-sized metropolis at the distance of the Kuiper Belt, the region occupied by Pluto, Eris, and thousands of smaller icy bodies.
The study will be published in the journal Astrobiology. (ANI)
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