The Self-Confirming Alien SETI Signal

An exploration into the concept of a self-confirming SETI signal that cannot be mistaken for a natural phenomenon and how that relates to future SETI searches reckoning with the possibility that alien messages simply do not repeat.

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Music:

Intermission in D by Miguel Johnson

Ascent by Stellardrone

[Mikey-ymok]

We only sent one off signals and expect that to be enough but only signals that repeat are treated seriously. This just baffles me.

[Max_R_MaMint]

Imagine that we make contact, even be able to communicate/understand each other - only to find out that they are at about the same technological level as us; ie, no clue how to interstellar travel and only recently able to put a telescope off their planet's surface. What a weird time that would be, knowing they are there and friendly but nobody can visit either way.

[antonystringfellow]

A couple of interesting and probably significant facts about the WOW signal:

1. It was not exactly on the neutral hydrogen line but slightly above it. If it was broadcast on the neutral line (likely) then the blue-shift means that it was approaching us at a speed of approx. 32, 000mph.

2. The strength of the signal suggests it's very unlikely to have come from another star system, that would require an enormous amount of energy. More likely is that the source was quite close to the solar system.

Might be a good idea to pay more attention to stronger signals for this reason (the strength is probably a good indication of distance), as well as any apparent blue-shift. I know we have a least 2 candidates that suggest the source is close and heading towards us. If this is the case, I find it comforting to know they're letting us know they're there as this makes is pretty unlikely that their intentions are hostile.

[Amadeus]

Humans Receiving Signals: "What does this mean?"
Aliens: "Well if YOU don't know WE are not going to tell you!"

[darkmatter]

I got the goosebumps too!

The topic in this episode is more important than it seems at face value. How can we expect confirmation of repeat signals when we don’t send repeat signals ourselves?

Someone needs to join the dots and come up with another verification method. We could be missing dozens of genuine signals!

[filipbelciug]

One day i'm just gonna watch one of these videos and it'll have the first rock-solid proof of alien life. Hopefully complex life too. Can't wait

[himynameis]

I don't get how John doesn't have over a million subs. This is by far my favourite channel covering all cosmic related things. Between the soothing voice and the awesome and diverse content it's a crime he isn't more well known. Definitely my favourite YouTube channel

[joesinkwitz]

I hope you never stop making these. Listening to the evolution of production over time has also been a delight — great use of background music when building to specific talking points.

[gregoryc]

The part about Pi times Hydrogen line freaked me out. Seems pretty insane to be 3.14 times exactly or even approximately.

[charlieretro]

This makes me wonder if Aliens are sending us signals but SETI can't pick them up.

[Blakefulable]

Nothing makes my pain ridden nights better than you uploading a video. I find myself re-listening to all your playlists and uploads just because your videos, the way you describe things, talk about things - they make me think about space and potential life out there in a totally different way than anything else. I find myself mindblown by the thoughts that are in my head when one of your videos "unlocks" them.

Thanks for uploading, I hope you keep pumping more content out ASAP !

[garyr]

I’m so glad you brought up this topic! I have always thought that it is not fair to discount signals that don’t repeat.

[paulwalsh]

Ahhh JMG... you promised goosebumps and didn't disappoint !

[damianp]

Heuy John thanks for being a slice of home when iv been in a lockdown unit at a hospital

[sunilbiradar]

"This is how hydrogen, the most common element in the universe, behaves when it's cold, and this is how hydrogen behaves when it's hot.


HELLO!!!!"

[ezziboo]

Man, I love these videos. So awe-inspiring, wondrous, profound, thought-provoking, chilling, terrifying, and soothing. I listen right before bed and I have vivid, engrossing dreams.

[brownmark]

Dude that TYC signal has a great chance to be alien, we need to study that solar system.

[benw]

These science speculation videos are great, both for science and science fiction. Keep up the good work. I've been a subscriber for a long while now.
Note: An intentional, "Hello, World!" signal might repeat to make sure someone finds it. So would distress calls and S.O.S.'s. But most ordinary communications don't repeat. Phone calls, radio and TV broadcasts, computer information. Reruns or other repeat broadcasts of TV or movies or similar series (radio dramas?) do repeat, but at intervals, usually, like a full day or more. I would think the most likely signals would be things like that. A starship comm signal is likely to be repeated onlyy if it's a distress signal. Otherwise, it's most likely to be line-of-sight (hearing) aimed at a known receiver destination. So for us to pick it up would be less likely, but possible. Are we ready for alien soap operas or reality TV? Or other junk signals? Or are we ready for alien news feeds, with a litany of shockingly bad planetary events? Would we know what to make of alien fiction broadcasts? Or a love letter or pen pal back home? I'd think a real signal would become pretty obvious, though. But who knows? Just because we do things in certain ways doesn't mean aliens might do the same. But yes, there are likely to be similarities.

[nicholasmills]

Yours channels are gems. The Fermi paradox is an important concept. How can the universe be so big and so void of life.

I look for answers everyday on the alien question. For me as a sci fi writer and engineering scientist, I cannot believe there is no life anywhere in our universe. For me evolution is a fundamental of the universe. We see it everywhere. We see it in astronomy in the evolution of stars and galaxy. And we see the evolution of planets. If evolution is a fundamental principle then life must exist elsewhere. But as of yet, no official proof.

The seti project is so exciting. And this is why I love your video cast, because they make the existence just that little more possible. I think the evidence we have would point more in favour of life than against it.

[stevenscott]

The most fun part of a confirmed alien signal will be watching reality set in.
Host: "So, what are the aliens saying?"
Astronomer: "Well, not really anything. It's more like a beacon -- it tells us they're out there."
H: "So they don't want to talk to us?"
A: "They can't. We have no common language. Even if they sent us their equivalent of Shakespeare, we wouldn't know how to decode it."
H: "Doesn't the government have decoding experts?"
A: "Yes, but all those codes started as a known human language by humans, and are meant to decode back into that. These aliens can't possibly know any of our languages. They don't even know whether we make sounds, or do hand-signs, or communicate with scents like an ant colony. There's literally NO way to actually converse unless one of us and one of them got together and worked out some kind of system."
H: "So... what good are they? How does this make Joe Sixpack's life better?"
A: "It doesn't. It won't. It can't. Unless he just thinks it's cool that life exists somewhere else."
H: "Get off my soundstage."