Have you ever wondered where aliens and humans first met? It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, right? Well, many people have different stories and theories about this fascinating topic. Some believe it happened in ancient periods, with aliens visiting civilizations such as the Egyptians and the Mayans. Others believe it is a more recent occurrence, with sightings and encounters documented throughout the previous century. Whether it’s ancient deity mythology or recent UFO sightings, let’s go into the intriguing and exciting world of human-alien interactions and explore where this incredible first meeting might have taken place!
What Science Say About It?
The first detection of extraterrestrial radio signals occurred at the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia, USA. This historic incident took place in 1960 during Project Ozma, an early attempt to discover interstellar radio signals from sentient civilizations.
Dr. Frank Drake led Project Ozma, which made use of the Green Bank Observatory’s 85-foot Howard E. Tatel Radio Telescope. This project initiated the scientific quest for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). Although no definite signals from extraterrestrial civilizations were detected during Project Ozma, it paved the way for future SETI investigations and the development of more advanced radio astronomy techniques.
The famous “Wow!” transmission was the first to spark worldwide interest as a possible communication from an alien intelligence. Dr. Jerry R. Ehman received this signal while working on a SETI experiment at Ohio State University’s Big Ear radio telescope on August 15, 1977.
- Detection: A strong, narrowband radio signal looked to be coming from the constellation Sagittarius.
- Duration: It lasted for the 72-second window that the Big Ear was able to observe it, but it was never detected again.
- Name: Dr. Ehman wrote “Wow!” next to the data on the printout, earning the moniker.
- Frequency: The signal was at 1420 MHz, which is significant since it is the hydrogen line, a frequency that scientists regard as a viable candidate for interstellar communication due to its universal importance.
Despite numerous efforts, the “Wow! signal” has never been explained or discovered again, making it one of the most interesting riddles in the quest for extraterrestrial intelligence. The chance that it was a communication from an extraterrestrial civilization persists, but it has not been proved, and other hypotheses, such as terrestrial interference or a natural astrophysical phenomenon, cannot be discounted.
References
- Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/ – Wow! signal
- BBC Science Focus – https://www.sciencefocus.com/ – How aliens will actually make first contact with humanity, a scientist explains
