Astronomers are expecting a message from aliens today that is 40 years in the making
Astronomers are hoping to receive a message from aliens after a 40-year wait for a reply comes to an end. On 15 August 1983, a pair of hopeful astronomers at Stanford University beamed a message into space via an antenna. They believe that 22 August 2023 is the earliest time they can expect to receive a reply. The experiment was the brain-child of professors Masaki Morimoto and Hisashi Hirabayashi, who, around 40 years ago, beamed 13 drawings in radio waves to a star named Altair, approximately 16.7 light-years away from Earth. The 13 drawings sent into space by Morimoto and Hirabayashi were designed to tell the story of human evolution and how human beings came to exist on Earth. Drawings depicted how humans evolved from microscopic creatures that eventually moved from water onto land. It also explained our solar system and what DNA is. It was the hope that if there was any intelligent life on planets close to the star, they would interpret the messages and hopefully send a reply. In anticipation of a reply, a team at The University of Hyogo in Japan will monitor for a reply using the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) antenna. Led by Shinya Narusawa, the team will listen for around an hour for signs of unusual radio activity or signals that could suggest a reply. Narusawa explained: “A large number of exoplanets have been detected since the 1990s,” adding, “Altair may have a planet whose environment can sustain life.” Unfortunately, if a reply is received, it will be too late for Morimoto, one of the professors responsible for the original project, after he died in 2010. Dr Hirabayashi, the other pioneer, is currently a professor emeritus at JAXA. It is yet to be seen whether he will see his 40-year experiment gets the conclusion he was hoping for. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
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Facebook owner Meta asks Norway court to halt privacy fine
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Bayern Munich agree to sell Man Utd target to Inter
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Taiwan not planning new risk control for China property exposure - sources
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Russia's Putin stays away over arrest warrant as leaders of emerging economies meet in South Africa
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Japan to start releasing Fukushima wastewater as soon as Thursday
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Bosnia-Herzegovina country profile
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Euro zone current account surplus surges in June
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China fines US due diligence firm Mintz Group $1.5 million for 'unapproved' investigations
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Sienna Miller pregnant with her second child
Sienna Miller is currently expecting her second child, it has been reported by multiple outlets. Photographs of the Lost City of Z star published by People magazine reveal Miller with a visible baby bump while on a beach holiday in Ibiza. The 41-year-old actor was pictured in a brown string bikini, with gold accessories, and could be seen smiling as she enjoyed the sea breeze. In one image, she wrapped a grey towel with a red stripe around her hips, accentuating her growing bump. Her second pregnancy comes 10 years after the birth of her first child, Marlowe, whom she shares with her former fiance, The Sandman star Tom Sturridge. According to the outlet, Miller was seen spending time with her boyfriend, actor Oli Green, in St Tropez before arriving in Ibiza. She has not commented publicly on her pregnancy and it is unclear what stage she is in. The Independent has contacted Miller’s representative for comment. Last December, Miller opened up about being a parent to British Vogue. She said she “loves being a mother”, adding: “It’s what I do best.” However, the American Woman star has also felt “pressure” to expand her family after turning 40. Speaking to Elle UK, Miller described questions surrounding whether she should have more children and why she has not as “a really loud noise”. “Biology is incredibly cruel on women in that decade – that’s the headline, or it certainly was for me,” she said. “Then I got to 40 and I froze some eggs. Having been really focused on the need to have another baby, I’m just like, if it happens, it happens. That kind of existential threat has dissipated.” Miller and Sturridge dated from 2011 to 2015, and their daughter was born in July 2012. They continue to be good friends and co-parents, and have been known to travel together and stay at one another’s houses as they continue to put Marlowe first. “It’s not like there’s a structure for custody,” Miller told Elle UK in 2019. “We make it work. It’s not conventional.” Reflecting on her relationship with her daughter, Miller told People: “When you are raising a child you see aspects of your character in that person, reflected back, and it’s the most loving, intense relationship that I have. There’s nowhere to hide. “She knows me, I know her. She’s really stubborn, which is very like me. I see her as her own person but I also see genetic things. She’s heaven, my kid.” Read More No music, no ball games, no fun: society is wiping out play Comedian Mark Watson says three-year affair was way of avoiding ‘the fact I wasn’t special’ Rihanna and A$AP Rocky reportedly welcome second child together Jana Kramer reveals she couldn’t brush her teeth for three months while pregnant Mom documents at-home abortion to destigmatise abortion pills Rumer Willis addresses criticism over breastfeeding photo with her child
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