Almost 50 years ago, in the summer of 1977, scientists working at Ohio State University picked up a signal while using the Big Ear radio telescope that has remained a true mystery ever since.
The scientists that first spotted the signal discovered that it wrote out the phrase “Wow!” Since then, experts have been trying to decode the message known by the same, without much luck. However, new information has highlighted a possible explanation that could lead to the hope of contacting aliens.
The Original Message
When the scientists first heard the message in Ohio, they said it sounded like a very long and intense blast set to a specific frequency.
After investigating the source, the scientists believed that aliens using artificial technology could have intentionally sent the message. The message came from near the Sagittarius constellation, but could not pin point an exact location in the universe.
Early Assumptions About the Message
When the blast was first heard, it was the first big break in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).
Early experts had some theories about the blast, such as strange radiation from a comet, a form of human-made radio interference, or just a message from a staggeringly advanced cosmic civilization.
New Information
Researchers at the University of Puerto Rico have been studying the original message to see if they could successfully decode the information.
They say that new information that they have discovered shows that the message does not come from an alien source but, rather, a unique astrological event.
Similar Signals
Although none have been as intense as the first signal that led to the “Wow!” message, researchers say they have detected similar blasts.
Although the messages might not have been sent directly from aliens, it can still reveal powerful information about life on other planets.
What Could Have Caused the Signal
The experts looking into the original message say that the signal could have been caused by a cold hydrogen cloud suddenly turning bright.
This event could have occurred when the hydrogen cloud was hit by emissions from a radiation source, like a magnetic flare or a soft gamma repeater. When this occurs, the clouds suddenly turn bright, which would explain why it could be seen for a short period of time and never spotted again.
Possible Connections to Aliens
Researchers say that the new hypothesis explains the signal and shows exciting new information about future potential detections of signs from alien life.
Abel Méndez, the director of the Planetary Habitability Laboratory at the University of Puerto Rico, who was one of the lead researchers on the task, said, “Our study suggests that the Wow! signal was likely the first recorded instance of maser-like emission of the hydrogen line.”
Researchers on the Case
Using archival data from the Arecibo Observatory, Méndez and his team discovered that the famous message from 1977 was caused by a very rare type of astrophysical anarchy.
“I would say, wow—I never thought of that. I never thought of the Wow! signal as being real and being produced by some weird astrophysical phenomenon,” Méndez says.
More Research Is Needed
Scientists will now look into finding the exact origin of the signal, as well, now that they can look for objects within or behind the cold hydrogen clouds.
The current research is based on observations made in 2020. With life long mysteries like these, the entire scientific community usually needs to come together to discover the true source of the information.
Some Scrutiny About the New Information
Kevin Ortiz Ceballos, a graduate astrophysics student at the Center for Astrophysics at Harvard and the Smithsonian, says that the researcher’s new flare-hydrogen-cloud theory is “definitely a bit speculative.”
“We’re not saying that this is definitely the case. We’re saying that it’s a very exciting hypothesis.”
Radio Waves Is a Popular Alien Hunting Technique
One of the most common methods of searching or hunting for aliens is looking for suspicious radio waves coming from unexplained sources.
In the past, other unexplained radio waves could be easily explained by rare yet all-natural astrophysical phenomena from burping black holes or convulsing planetary atmospheres. However, the specific code of the information has always led researchers into the direction of understanding that the message was artificial in nature.
The Team Will Keep Digging
The author’s on the study sau that their new hypothesis needs more astrophysical work to underpin the correct working nature of the message.
Ultimately, the team says that the natural of the original message uses putative technology, meaning that some kind of human-made radio interference is likely the explanation of the “Wow!” signal.
