Researchers will look for ‘extraterrestrial technological civilizations’ using AI

An international group of researchers led by the Harvard astronomer who believes the first interstellar object discovered was a ‘lightsail’ from another civilization have announced a new project to search for signs of ‘extraterrestrial technological civilizations’ (ETCs) in space.

Known as the Galileo Project, the researchers – led by Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb – will use artificial intelligence and look at data from existing and future astronomical surveys and high-resolution telescopes. 

The project will have three objectives: to search for unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), other interstellar objects like ‘Oumuamua and satellites created by ETCs.

A new project will search for ‘extraterrestrial technological civilizations’ in space has been announced. Pictured is the famous Tic-Tac footage, which has been previously acknowledged as real by the Navy. It was captured by pilots recording on their video sensors during training flights in 2004

The Galileo Project is being led by Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb (pictured), whopreviously suggested 'Oumuamua was a 'lightsail' sent from another civilization

The Galileo Project is being led by Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb (pictured), whopreviously suggested ‘Oumuamua was a ‘lightsail’ sent from another civilization

‘After the recent release of the [Office of the Director of National Intelligence] report on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP), the scientific community needs the determination to systematically, scientifically and transparently look for potential evidence of extraterrestrial technological equipment,’ Loeb said in a statement

‘The impact of any discovery of extraterrestrial technology on science, our technology, and on our entire world view, would be enormous.’

Loeb continued: ‘Given the recently discovered abundance of habitable-zone exoplanets, with potential for extraterrestrial life, the Galileo Project is dedicated to the proposition that humans can no longer ignore the possible existence of ETCs. 

‘Science should not reject potential extraterrestrial explanations because of social stigma or cultural preferences that are not conducive to the scientific method of unbiased, empirical inquiry. We now must ‘dare to look through new telescopes’, both literally and figuratively.’ 

The project takes its name from Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei (who used telescopes to make a number of discoveries, including Jupiter’s four largest moons) because of the possibility it may discover ETCs, perhaps as soon as 2023, thanks to the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. 

The project will have three objectives: searching for unidentified aerial phenomena, other interstellar objects (like 'Oumuamua, pictured) and satellites created by ETCs

The project will have three objectives: searching for unidentified aerial phenomena, other interstellar objects (like ‘Oumuamua, pictured) and satellites created by ETCs 

Last month, Loeb suggested there was a link between 'Oumuamua and the US government's report on UAPs. He said 'Oumuamua could have been sent 'to scan signals from all viewing directions,' looking for sensors that a yet-to-be discovered predecessor put into Earth's atmosphere

Last month, Loeb suggested there was a link between ‘Oumuamua and the US government’s report on UAPs. He said ‘Oumuamua could have been sent ‘to scan signals from all viewing directions,’ looking for sensors that a yet-to-be discovered predecessor put into Earth’s atmosphere

Last month, Loeb suggested there was a link between ‘Oumuamua and the US government’s report on UAPs. 

He said ‘Oumuamua could have been sent ‘to scan signals from all viewing directions,’ looking for sensors that a yet-to-be discovered predecessor put into Earth’s atmosphere.  

‘Based on astronomical observations, ‘Oumuamua turned out to have highly anomalous properties that defy well-understood natural explanations,’ Loeb added in the statement.

‘We can only speculate whether ‘Oumuamua may be explained by never seen before natural explanations, or by stretching our imagination to ‘Oumuamua perhaps being an extraterrestrial technological object, similar to a very thin light-sail or communications dish, which would fit the astronomical data rather well.’ 

The Harvard researcher has previously said there should be ‘a quadrillion’ objects similar to ‘Oumuamua within the solar system if they have a natural origin.

To date, astronomers have only found two ISOs: ‘Oumuamua and Comet 2I/Borisov, which was discovered in 2019.

A number of theories – including that it is a hydrogen iceberg or nitrogen iceberg- have been postulated about the origins or the composition of the 900-foot-long cigar-shaped ‘Oumuamua since it was discovered in October 2017.   

Our first interstellar visitor sailed past Earth at at 97,200mph in 2017, but what exactly was Oumuamua?

A cigar-shaped object named ‘Oumuamua sailed past Earth at 97,200mph (156,428km/h) in October.

It was first spotted by a telescope in Hawaii on 19 October, and was observed 34 separate times in the following week. 

It is named after the Hawaiian term for ‘scout’ or ‘messenger’ and passed the Earth at about 85 times the distance to the moon.

It was the first interstellar object seen in the solar system, and it baffled astronomers.

Initially, it was thought the object could be a comet. 

However, it displays none of the classic behavior expected of comets, such as a dusty, water-ice particle tail.

The asteroid is up to one-quarter mile (400 meters) long and highly-elongated – perhaps 10 times as long as it is wide.

That aspect ratio is greater than that of any asteroid or asteroid observed in our solar system to date.

But the asteroid’s slightly red hue — specifically pale pink — and varying brightness are remarkably similar to objects in our own solar system.

Around the size of the Gherkin skyscraper in London, some astronomers were convinced it was piloted by aliens due to the vast distance the object traveled without being destroyed – and the closeness of its journey past the Earth. 

Alien hunters at SETI – the Search for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence based at Berkeley University, California said there was a possibility the rock was ‘an alien artefact’.

But scientists from Queen’s University Belfast took a good look at the object and said it appears to be an asteroid, or ‘planetesimal’ as originally thought. 

Researchers believe the cigar-shaped asteroid had a ‘violent past’, after looking at the light bouncing off its surface. 

They aren’t exactly sure when the violent collision took place, but they believe the lonely asteroid’s tumbling will continue for at least a billion years.

Last month, the long-awaited report from the Pentagon on the subject of ‘unidentified aerial phenomenon’ (UAPs) offered no explanation for 140 of the 144 observations dating back to 2004.

The declassified June 25 report, which came from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, added that it lacks sufficient data to determine the nature of mysterious flying objects.  

‘In 18 incidents, described in 21 reports, observers reported unusual UAP movement patterns or flight characteristics,’ the report reads.

‘Some UAP appeared to remain stationary in winds aloft, move against the wind, maneuver abruptly, or move at considerable speed, without discernable means of propulsion. In a small number of cases, military aircraft systems processed radio frequency (RF) energy associated with UAP sightings.

‘The UAPTF holds a small amount of data that appear to show UAP demonstrating acceleration or a degree of signature management. Additional rigorous analysis are necessary by multiple teams or groups of technical experts to determine the nature and validity of these data.

‘We are conducting further analysis to determine if breakthrough technologies were demonstrated.’   

The term UFO has been more recently replaced by unidentified aerial phenomenon, especially in light of the U.S. Pentagon declassifying three videos in April 2020. 

Only one of 144 reports of UFOs – or Unidentified Aerial Phenomena as the government calls them – can be explained while the others can barely be classified 

The government report says there are 144 reported UFOs – or UAPs – between 2004 and 2021. 

These reports include a spherical flying object buzzing over Navy warships and disappearing into the Pacific ocean, a tic-tac shaped flying object mimicking Super Hornet pilots’ maneuvers and pyramid-shaped flying objects. 

The only one that can be explained with ‘high confidence’ is a deflated balloon. 

Because the reported UAPs showed unusual flight characteristics and displayed a range of appearances and behaviors, the report groups the UAPs into five categories.  

1. Airborne clutter – These objects include birds, balloons, recreational unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or airborne debris like plastic bags that muddle a scene and affect an operator’s ability to identify true targets, such as enemy aircraft.

2. Natural atmospheric phenomena – Natural atmospheric phenomena includes ice crystals, moisture and thermal fluctuations that may register on some infrared and radar systems.

3. USG or U.S. industry developmental programs –  Some UAP observations could be attributable to developments and classified programs by U.S. entities. The report states, ‘We were unable to confirm, however, that these systems accounted for any of the UAP reports we collected.’

4. Foreign adversary systems – Some UAP may be technologies deployed by China, Russia, another nation, or a non-governmental entity but the report says the US is unaware that any nation has technology that’s been reported.

5. A catchall ‘other’ bin – Most of the UAP described in the dataset probably remain unidentified due to limited data or challenges to collection processing or analysis and may require additional scientific knowledge and advances to categorize them. ‘The UAPTF intends to focus additional analysis on the small number of cases where a UAP appeared to display unusual flight characteristics or signature management,’ according to the report.