Technosignature

Technosignature is a term used in the field of astrobiology to refer to any evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI). The concept is rooted in the hypothesis that technologically advanced civilizations may leave detectable signs of their existence in the universe. These signs, or technosignatures, could take various forms such as radio signals, laser emissions, artificial light, industrial pollution of atmospheres, megastructures, and artificial objects or space probes in our own solar system.

Overview

The search for technosignatures is a subset of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), which also includes the search for biosignatures. While biosignatures indicate the presence of life, technosignatures indicate the presence of technologically advanced life. The most well-known technosignature is the radio signal, which has been the focus of SETI efforts for several decades.

Types of Technosignatures

Radio Signals

Radio signals are the most well-known type of technosignature. They are the focus of many SETI efforts, including the Allen Telescope Array and the Breakthrough Listen project. These signals could be intentional, such as a beacon signal sent out to attract attention, or unintentional, such as leakage from a civilization's communications or radar.

Laser Emissions

Laser emissions could be used for communication or for propulsion of spacecraft. The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) could potentially detect these emissions.

Artificial Light

Artificial light could be detected from exoplanets. This would require advanced telescopes, such as the proposed Colossus Telescope.

Industrial Pollution

Industrial pollution could alter the composition of an exoplanet's atmosphere in a way that could be detected with telescopes. This is a relatively new area of study in the search for technosignatures.

Megastructures

Megastructures are large artificial structures that could be detected through their impact on their star's light. The most famous hypothetical megastructure is the Dyson sphere, a structure that would encompass a star to capture its energy output.

Artificial Objects or Space Probes

Artificial objects or space probes in our own solar system could be a sign of extraterrestrial intelligence. The Search for Extraterrestrial Artifacts (SETA) is a proposed initiative to search for such objects.

See Also

• Fermi Paradox
• Drake Equation
• Astrobiology
• Extraterrestrial Life

Technosignature Resources
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