Alien probes could, very possibly, be in our solar system. Or have, at least, visited it in the past. Out of University of Edinburgh, two researchers using mathematical models and computer simulations have shown that alien visitors are a good possibility.
The researcher pair’s findings show that a fleet of alien probes could have explored the entire Milky Way in a fraction of the earth’s age, even if they were traveling at only one-tenth the speed of light.
This means that extraterrestrial probes could have been through our solar system previously, and could even be in the system now , reports Discovery News.
The study’s projections have some interesting implications. While the alien probes may not have visited our solar system in the last 80 years — as long as we’ve had radar and other ways of detecting stellar objects beyond crude telescopes — they may have been through earlier. Possibly even twice.
This suggests that an alien civilization could be aware of our planet and have us plotted on a map. They may even know there is life here, if they came recently enough.
The researchers’ simulations rely on complicated flight paths that utilize the gravity of stars and other large objects to boost their speed. Human space probes, like the Voyager craft, have used planetary gravity as a “slingshot” to shoot them into space.
The study addresses the Fermi Paradox as a solution. Fermi, a nuclear scientist, once questioned why there was no evidence at all of extraterrestrials visiting the solar system, ever, despite mathematical reasoning suggesting the galaxy is teeming with intelligent life.
The researcher pair says that it is very possible that we would not be capable of detecting the alien craft. Yahoo! News says that the probes may even be equipped with with the ability to “conceal” themselves from looking eyes.
The alien spacecraft could also, quite conceivably, possess some advanced 3D printer-like technology allowing for self-replication and repair. This would speed up the interstellar survey substantially, added the researchers.
While this may sound like something out of science fiction, the pair of researchers’ study is based on complicated and pragmatic projections. The implications of the very high likelihood that alien probes have visited our solar system and have put our blue planet on their map are fascinating.
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