Universo marzo-abril 2023

MARZO-ABRIL 2023 ASTRO PUBLISHING puesto decenas de soluciones plausible, pero hipotéticas, a la paradoja de Fermi. La mayoría de ellas implican una extrema rareza de civilizaciones tecnológicas en la Vía Láctea, la falta de voluntad de comunicarse con otras civilizacio- nes y la dificultad de recibir y so- bre todo de transmitir mensajes interestelares. Estas hipótesis se ajustan bien a la ausencia total de resultados positivos obtenidos por los numerosos programas SETI re- alizados desde los años sesenta. La solución aparentemente más obvia a la paradoja de Fermi es que no tenemos pruebas de que existan otras civilizaciones tecno- lógicas, sencillamente porque esas civilizaciones no existen. Tal y co- mo conocemos el universo, pode- mos suponer que las primeras ci- vilizaciones capaces de comuni- carse con otros planetas podrían haberse manifestado hace ya 7000 u 8000 millones de años. Si hubieran aparecido en nuestra galaxia, habrían tenido tiempo de colonizarla a lo largo y ancho, de- jando rastros reconocibles de su existencia, incluso mucho después de la eventual desaparición de esas mismas civilizaciones. Como hasta ahora no se ha encontrado nada parecido, o esas civilizacio- nes no existieron, o no existieron el tiempo suficiente, o no les inte- resaba dejar testimonios durade- ros. Si han sobrevivido lo suficien- te como para ser nuestros con- temporáneos y son conscientes de nuestra existencia, tal vez nos ig- noren deliberadamente. Sin em- bargo, esto restringe su número, ya que para que todos se pongan de acuerdo en ignorarnos, deben ser relativamente pocas. Teniendo en cuenta la inmensidad de la Vía Láctea, incluso mil civili- zaciones tecnológicas distribuidas uniformemente son relativamen- te pocas porque significaría que Technosignatures for detecting intelligent life in our Universe — A research companion The book summarizes the multiple interdisciplinary efforts that have contributed to the field of technosignatures. The techno- signatures represent any signals that can be collected from the Universe, such as radio wavelengths, optical signals, and many more, that can be potential candidates as signals emitted in- tentionally from another part of the Universe that is not Earth. It shows how current advances in science, technology, and so- cial sciences can support this effort and can be used as both a resource for the scientists in the field and as a reference for the public at large interested in the topic. More than us — Discover how we are going to find life in the Universe Humans have thought about this question for millennia. Only recently have we developed the technology to actually search for life in the universe. In this book, you will discover how we are going to find it! We will look at questions like: • Where to search for extraterrestrial life? • Why haven’t we heard from anybody yet? • Should we send signals ourselves? • What efforts have been made to find life in the cosmos? • What happens if a signal is detected? The hunt for alien life — A wider perspective Astronomer Peter Linde takes the reader through the story of the search for extraterrestrial life in a captivating and thought- provoking way, specifically addressing the new research that is currently devoted towards discovering other planets with life. He discusses the methods used to detect possible signals from other civilizations and the ways that the space sciences are changing as a result of this new field. Here, Linde tries to ans- wer many philosophical questions that derive from this area of research: Is humanity facing a change of paradigm, that we are not unique as intelligent beings? Is it possible to communicate with others out there, and even if we can — should we? Rare Earth — Why complex life is uncommon in the Universe What determines whether complex life will arise on a planet, or even any life at all? Questions such as these are investigated in this groundbreaking book. In doing so, the authors synthesize information from astronomy, biology, and paleontology, and apply it to what we know about the rise of life on Earth and to what could possibly happen elsewhere in the universe. Every- one who has been thrilled by the recent discoveries of extraso- lar planets and the indications of life on Mars and the Jovian moon Europa will be fascinated by Rare Earth, and its implica- tions for those who look to the heavens for companionship.