Kerins starts by noting that it seems possible that the reason scientists on Earth have not discovered signals from beings on other planets is because they are not sending any, fearing that doing so might draw the attention of unfriendly adversaries. He further suggests that if others are out there, they might be listening just as intently as we are. This leads to the SETI paradox, in which everyone is listening but no one is sending.
He concludes that following such an approach based on data currently available would narrow the search to just one exoplanet: K2-155d. He suggests that because it is more visible to us than the other way around, that we be the first to send a signal—and then to watch and listen for any reply. Explore further
This may worth something:
How Geologists Reveal the Secrets of the Solar System - Scientific American
Of all the sciences, astronomy has shed particularly brilliant light on our place in the universe. But it is not well-known that much of our understanding of outer space comes from a different discipline altogether: geology. Ask somebody to name a tool that we use to uncover the secrets of the cosmos, and they’ll likely say telescope rather than microscope or rock hammer .
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In fact, rocks are practically the only way we can hold pieces of outer space. Telescopes and robotic space missions, powerful as they are, can only take us so far, and from celestial rocks—particularly meteorites—we have learned about the solar system and beyond . While meteorites have a special place in many a heart (mine included), they are still rocks, and as the old saying goes, nobody knows a rock better than a geologist .
Fireball Meteorite That Struck Michigan Reveals Ancient Extraterrestrial Compounds
Weather radar tracked the flaming space rock's descent and breakup, helping meteorite hunters to quickly locate fallen fragments on Strawberry Lake in Hamburg, Michigan.
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Swift recovery of the meteorite from the lake's frozen surface prevented liquid water from seeping into cracks and contaminating the sample with terrestrial spores and microbes. This maintained the space rock's pristine state, enabling experts to more easily evaluate its composition.
'Asteroid' nearing Earth's orbit may be old NASA rocket - Los Angeles Times
The jig may be up for an "asteroid" that's expected to get nabbed by Earth's gravity and become a mini-moon next month.
Instead of a cosmic rock, the newly discovered object appears to be an old rocket from a failed moon-landing mission 54 years ago that's finally making its way back home, according to NASA's leading asteroid expert. Observations should help nail its identity.
Chodas speculates that asteroid 2020 SO, as it is formally known, is actually the Centaur upper-rocket stage that successfully propelled NASA's Surveyor 2 lander to the moon in 1966 before it was discarded. The lander ended up crashing into the moon after one of its thrusters failed to ignite on the way there. The rocket, meanwhile, swept past the moon and into orbit around the sun as intended junk, never to be seen again — until perhaps now.
Quite a lot has been going on:
Extraterrestrial Diamonds Formed During Major Planetary Collisions | Planetary News
Scientists have offered new insights into the origin of diamonds in a group of stony meteorites called ureilites. The ureilites are fragments of a larger asteroidal parent body that was smashed to pieces through at least one major collision with another dwarf planet or asteroid. Ureilites commonly contain large quantities of carbon in the form of graphite and also diamonds in lesser abundance.
The research team investigated fragments of three diamond-bearing ureilites and, in one of these samples, found the largest single-crystal diamonds ever discovered in a ureilite. In addition to diamonds of up to 100 micrometers in size, numerous nests of nanodiamonds, as well as nanographite, were found in the ureilites.
'Mutual detectability' will improve the search for extraterrestrial civilizations
The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) is slowly evolving from a fringe endeavor to a more mainstream one thanks to improvements in the capability of astronomical surveys, detector sensitivity, and greater philanthropic financial support. Still, because of the vastness of the universe and the scarcity of resources, scientists must develop strategies around where, when, and how to discover alien civilizations.
Much of SETI involves trying to receive signals broadcast by other civilizations. However, it could be that every civilization in the universe has decided that transmitting messages for other civilizations to receive is unwise or dangerous, but that listening for messages sent by others is a safe and worthwhile pursuit.
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