This massive new telescope could find alien life in hours
The upcoming launch of the fittingly named Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) in Chile is set to transform the way we search for life beyond Earth.
According to the research, the ELT certainly could pick up on extraterrestrial life, and at an impressive speed.
In fact, the telescope could identify biosignatures (chemical markers of life) on planets orbiting Proxima Centauri after only 10 hours of observation. These markers could include gases such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane, and even dimethyl sulfide.
For larger planets, similar in size to Neptune, the ELT might deliver results even more quickly, within just an hour. This is a huge leap forward compared to current techniques, which typically take weeks, months, or even years to gather similar data.
"For the most accessible nearby target, Proxima Centauri b, our results suggest that we may be able to rule out a sub-Neptune atmosphere in as little as a single hour of observing, and two biosignature disequilibrium pairs (O2/CH4 and CO2/CH4) may be accessible in about 10 hours for the most optimistic scenario," the paper explained.
The ELT will also have the capability to study both transiting and non-transiting planets. For transiting planets, it will analyse the starlight passing through their atmospheres, revealing crucial spectral data. For non-transiting planets, it will examine the reflected light from the planet's surface, providing further insights into their composition.
https://www.indy100.com/science-tech/tel...alien-life
The upcoming launch of the fittingly named Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) in Chile is set to transform the way we search for life beyond Earth.
According to the research, the ELT certainly could pick up on extraterrestrial life, and at an impressive speed.
In fact, the telescope could identify biosignatures (chemical markers of life) on planets orbiting Proxima Centauri after only 10 hours of observation. These markers could include gases such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane, and even dimethyl sulfide.
For larger planets, similar in size to Neptune, the ELT might deliver results even more quickly, within just an hour. This is a huge leap forward compared to current techniques, which typically take weeks, months, or even years to gather similar data.
"For the most accessible nearby target, Proxima Centauri b, our results suggest that we may be able to rule out a sub-Neptune atmosphere in as little as a single hour of observing, and two biosignature disequilibrium pairs (O2/CH4 and CO2/CH4) may be accessible in about 10 hours for the most optimistic scenario," the paper explained.
The ELT will also have the capability to study both transiting and non-transiting planets. For transiting planets, it will analyse the starlight passing through their atmospheres, revealing crucial spectral data. For non-transiting planets, it will examine the reflected light from the planet's surface, providing further insights into their composition.
https://www.indy100.com/science-tech/tel...alien-life
teachings of the Bible are so muddled and self-contradictory that it was possible for Christians to happily burn heretics alive for five long centuries. It was even possible for the most venerated patriarchs of the Church, like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, to conclude that heretics should be tortured (Augustine) or killed outright (Aquinas). Martin Luther and John Calvin advocated the wholesale murder of heretics, apostates, Jews, and witches. - Sam Harris, "Letter To A Christian Nation"
