Scientists engaged in the search for extraterrestrial life (SETI) have flipped the script, asking where alien civilizations would most likely detect evidence of humanity. By identifying the best vantage points for outsiders to notice Earth’s signals, researchers hope to refine strategies in the search for intelligent life.
The work was a collaboration between scientists at Penn State and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which analyzed how alien observers might detect Earth’s deep-space transmissions. The study, presented in The Astrophysical Journal Letters and at the 2025 Penn State SETI Symposium, examined when and where such observations would be most likely — and how those patterns could be reversed to improve SETI efforts.
“SETI researchers often search the universe for signs of past or present technology, called technosignatures, as evidence of intelligent life,” said lead author Pinchen Fan, a graduate student in astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State’s Eberly College of Science. “Considering the direction and frequency of our most common signals gives insights into where we should be looking to improve our chances of detecting alien technosignatures.”
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