Aliens could be communicating with lasers

By: Patrick Jones

As of now, the only means humans have to locate alien planets is by using the transit method.

The transit method sounds fancy, but it's pretty simple: we watch a star and notice the shadow a planet makes when it crosses in front of the star.

SEE ALSO: Aliens may be living under the ice of exoplanets

Science has advanced so much that scientists can tell a lot about a planet, even if it is extremely far away. The planet's attributes can become apparent, including its atmospheric make-up and its location in the habitable zone.

These attributes help provide a clearer idea of whether a planet can support life.

Before you get excited about aliens, these studies cannot conclude whether there actually is life on the planet. They simply provide evidence about whether life can be supported in the environment.

Rest assured, an astronomer from Columbia University is saying that if alien civilization does exist, there are other ways for their presence to be communicated to earth: lasers.

David Kipping says aliens on planets could use lasers forming geometric shapes, or even cityscapes, that would then alert us they are present.

This gives humans time to make the decision on whether or not it is actually a good idea to reach out to them. One question to factor in before these decisions are made: should we work together with the civilization, or should we make them work for us?

Or, will we be duped and all end up working in an alien coal mine?

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