Arecibo Update

Since the publication of this post on 2 December 2020 it appears that Arecibo observatory may be rebuilt. Although the $8 million pledged by the Puerto Rico Rico government is clearly not enough https://www.engadget.com/puerto-rico-approves-8-million-to-rebuild-arecibo-telescope-155454170.html I was saddened to see that the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico has closed following catastrophic damage to its cables and… Continue reading Arecibo Update

Why Haven’t We Heard from Aliens?

Interest in the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) has risen, highlighted by the Allen Telescope Array. Despite decades of searching for alien signals, no evidence has been found, which may be due to the rarity of intelligent life, communication methods, or missed signals. Some theories suggest advanced civilizations may self-destruct or remain undetected.

Discoveries made by Voyager 1 and 2 in the Solar System

The Voyager Spacecraft with it large radio antenna

On August 20, 1977, NASA launched Voyager 2 to explore the Solar System's outer planets, followed by Voyager 1. Both spacecraft made significant discoveries, including active volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io and Titan's dense atmosphere with potential hydrocarbon lakes. They now send data from interstellar space and contain a golden record intended for any potential alien finders.

The zoo hypothesis

This post is about the zoo hypothesis, a term coined in 1973 by the astronomer John Ball, but the idea had been in existence for decades before then.  The zoo hypothesis states that there are many advanced and intelligent alien civilisations out there, but they hide their existence from us so that they they do not interfere with our… Continue reading The zoo hypothesis

New Horizons

On 14 July 2015 the New Horizons Spacecraft will fly past the dwarf planet Pluto which lies on the edge of our Solar System. This is the culmination of a nine and half year voyage which started when it was launched in back in January 2006. Artist's Impression of New Horizons passing Pluto - Image… Continue reading New Horizons