Good evening, sky-watchers, Howe Weird here, and today’s ET Week story comes with the shortest review in scientific history: “Wow!” Pip says if he ever discovers alien life, he plans to write “YIKES” in tiny spider script and hide under the printer.
On August 15, 1977, Ohio State University’s Big Ear radio telescope picked up a strange radio signal while scientists were searching for possible signs of extraterrestrial intelligence. The signal lasted about 72 seconds, was unusually strong, and appeared near the hydrogen line frequency that scientists had long considered interesting for interstellar communication.
Astronomer Jerry Ehman later reviewed the computer printout and circled the sequence. In the margin, he wrote one word: “Wow!” That handwritten reaction became the name of one of the most famous mysteries in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
Here is the part that keeps the mystery alive: the signal has never been reliably detected again. Scientists have searched, rechecked, argued, modeled, and proposed possible explanations. Some researchers have suggested natural causes. Others still consider it one of the most intriguing signals ever recorded. Pip says the universe sending one dramatic beep and then refusing to answer follow-up questions is exactly the kind of behavior he expects from outer space.
Reality Check: The Wow! Signal is real, documented, and historically important. It is not confirmed evidence of aliens. It remains an unexplained signal that has inspired decades of scientific curiosity.
If the Wow! Signal has you wanting to listen to the universe yourself, a radio astronomy book or a stargazing notebook might be a fine place to begin. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Pip’s Take: “A 72-second mystery is still longer than my attention span during tax season.”
Original source: Berkeley SETI — https://seti.berkeley.edu/wow