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TheRoadsMustRoll t1_j9vkint wrote

Reply to comment by kerfitten1234 in Alien hunters get a boost as AI helps identify promising signals from space by UniOfManchester

>The only assumption SETI makes is that aliens wouldn't disguise their radio emissions as natural sources.

there's a secondary hidden assumption there: that aliens wouldn't use encryption when transmitting (which would make their transmissions sound like random background noise.)

but we use encryption and its considered commonplace.

i'm all for searching for signs of life but without some grown-up logic employed i'm dubious that anything will come of these activities.

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HildemarTendler t1_j9wm0uw wrote

Encryption isn't all that interesting. Any alien signal won't be built on our protocols or use our language. We are unable to understand an alien signal whether encrypted or not. The signal will look artificial either way.

The real assumption is that aliens capable of transmitting signals over galactic distances are still using RF to communicate.

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Euphoric_Koala t1_j9wh0ch wrote

Encryption doesn’t mean you can’t detect a signal only that the contents appear random. For example most wifi traffic is encrypted but if you examine the frequency spectrum near a device you can clearly see peaks around 2.4GHz where the signal is.

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kerfitten1234 t1_j9vn38x wrote

Your comment made me realize that there's a deeper assumption at the core: that any aliens emitting radio messages want to be heard.

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bradklyn t1_j9y57mo wrote

This. If there are advanced species out there, the window between when they start emitting signals and THEY discover other species exist and decide to hide signals is likely very narrow.

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Bensemus t1_j9zykea wrote

That’s not an assumption. SETI isn’t assuming aliens are broadcasting for our benefit. They are hoping to either detect messages intended for something else or signals that are naturally generated by technology.

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giantgreeneel t1_j9wd6hl wrote

It's a reasonable assumption. What would we be able to do with transmissions that look like random background noise anyway?

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JohnMayerismydad t1_j9yc87f wrote

Pretty sure any signal reaching us that can be received would have to be directed into space for the purpose of some other world hearing it.

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