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9 articles

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Search for alien radio signals along the planetary plane

Analysis of 20 years of NASA antenna operations shows that the most powerful terrestrial radio signals are emitted in the plane of the Solar System. If extraterrestrial civilizations follow the same logic, their transmissions should be sought right there, especially when a planet passes in front of
arXiv:2508.15425 · 2025-08-21

The Last Cry of an Alien Civilization

The brightest astronomical discoveries involve rare and extreme objects. First contact with aliens will likely also happen thanks to a civilization experiencing a brief but immensely powerful flash — possibly its final one. To be noticed, a civilization must release at least 1% of its total energy.
arXiv:2512.09970 · 2025-12-10

The Universe’s Brightest Flash Set the Tempo for the Alien Hunt

Like friends in a dark theater, signals from aliens can be synchronized to a common cosmic flash. Astronomers tested this method for the first time, using the most powerful gamma-ray burst GRB 221009A and the TESS satellite to observe 58 stars. Two suspicious flickers turned out to be interference,
arXiv:2604.06807 · 2026-04-08

Pulse of Civilization: The Rhythm That Determines Survival

Scientists calculated a thousand years of the future across ten scenarios. It turns out civilizations pulse: periods of prosperity alternate with decline, like heartbeats. The active time fraction ranges from 38% to 100%. The main factors are the rate of resource depletion and the resilience of know
arXiv:2604.13774 · 2026-04-15

The Loeb Scale: When a Strange Rock Isn’t Just a Rock

The Loeb scale rates the weirdness of an interstellar object on a five-point scale. A ‘candidate’ level isn’t proof, but a green light for intensive observations. Ignoring it is more dangerous than being wrong.
arXiv:2604.20896 · 2026-04-21

The Whisper Faded: A Quantum Trick Bypasses a Fundamental Limit

In the famous thought experiment between Einstein and Bohr, the atomic slit always trembles due to quantum noise. This noise, like an unceasing whisper, smears the wave pattern. Now, physicists have learned to squeeze this whisper: to hush the part that gives away the particle's path. Fringe contras
arXiv:2605.28038 · 2026-05-27

Visitors from the Abyss: How Passing Planets Shaped Earth's Fate

Hundreds of rogue planets lurk on the outskirts of the Solar System. Their close encounters with Earth—even without a collision—cause waves, eruptions, and climate shifts. This explains past mass extinctions.
arXiv:2606.17105 · 2026-06-14

The Mystery of Eclipse Shadow Bands Solved

Shadows resembling ripples from a tossed pebble arise from light's wave nature. The edges of the solar crescent act as two sources, creating interference. This discovery lets us measure air turbulence from the bands.
arXiv:2606.28366 · 2026-06-14

Traces of Mind: What We Miss in the Search for Aliens

Between searching for life and technology, there is a gap: how to notice intelligence without machines? Noosignatures — any ordered traces of a thinking being — fill this void. From a paw print to a signal without a key: a new method expands the chances of finding alien intelligence even where life
arXiv:2606.28437 · 2026-06-26