As Analog Dies, Earth Falls Silent

Our digital chatter makes us invisible to alien life forms, scientist says
By Emily Rauhala,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 26, 2010 8:51 AM CST
As Analog Dies, Earth Falls Silent
The planet Earth as seen from the surface of the moon during the Apollo 17 lunar landing mission, December 1972.   (Getty Images)

Mankind's odds of being discovered by aliens are plummeting as digital chatter makes Earth all but invisible from space. Whereas old-fashioned analog signals spread millions of miles into space, digital signals stay put. As we move toward the latter, says space expert Frank Drake, Earth becomes harder to find.



"If this continues into the future, very soon our world will become undetectable," he tells the Telegraph. But the Search for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence founder still has hope. "We're going to have to search many more stars and many more frequencies," he says. Still, he is confident that there is somebody out there—and that they're smarter than us.

(More aliens stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X