The new AI method hunts for aliens’ “technosignatures” in radio signals.

Scientists say a new machine learning technique has discovered eight previously unknown “signals of interest” in the search for alien life. The signals, detected in five nearby stars, could indicate alien intelligence on other planets.

The AI-powered system helps researchers quickly sort through vast amounts of data from the universe to find potential “technosignatures” (signals from alien technology), reducing the number of false positives caused by human technology interference. These signals would hint at the presence of technology and by implication, the existence of an intelligent species. (The Conversation)

The AI algorithm trained by the researchers was fed with more than 150 terabytes of data (480 observing hours) from the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia. It detected 20,515 signals of interest that were manually inspected to drill down to a list of eight technosignatures.

These eight promising extraterrestrial signals, according to a paper published in “Nature Astronomy,” couldn’t be generated by natural astrophysical processes.

However, follow-up observations have not yet confirmed the presence of similar signals.

The researchers hope that their technique will speed up the search for life on other planets.

“If astronomers do manage to detect a technosignature that can’t be explained away as interference, it would strongly suggest humans aren’t the sole creators of technology within the Galaxy,” writes Danny C Price, Sr Research Fellow, Curtin University, and an author of the study. “This would be one of the most profound discoveries imaginable.”

“Alternatively, if we really are alone, we should reflect on the unique beauty and fragility of life here on Earth.”

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