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No cities on the moon—there isn't enough water, scientists say
Confirmed
In Short: Scientists are exploring the possibility of finding traces of alien technology on the moon, suggesting it could act as a 'collection plate' for such particles.
The moon would act as a "collection plate," as it were, according to Sofia Sheikh, a scientist at the SETI Institute. This idea is part of a broader exploration into how the breakdown of technological artifacts can be applied to SETI searches, as Sheikh noted.
In related news, scientists have been investigating the Martian gullies, which resemble those found on Earth but are formed by a mechanism other than water. The first images of these gullies were shocking, as their similarities to Earth's gullies were uncanny, but all of Earth's gullies are formed by water runoff, and Mars is too cold and has too sparse an atmosphere for liquid water.
Their first task was to completely disprove the theory that the gullies were driven by water. Scientists were surprised by the discovery that water itself has a very specific spectral absorption band at 1.5 um. This finding has led to a new understanding of the mechanisms behind gully formation on Mars.
Researchers have now identified an additional mechanism that had largely escaped attention: the electrical charge carried by water droplets. This discovery, published in the journal Nature, could help scientists develop more effective and longer-lasting coatings.
Scientists have traditionally attributed this type of deterioration to two major processes: mechanical stress, in which repeated contact with water droplets creates friction that slowly erodes a coating or causes pieces of it to peel away, and chemical processes, which involve the breakdown of materials through chemical reactions with water.
What's confirmed
- The moon would act as a "collection plate," as it were, according to Sofia Sheikh, a scientist at the SETI Institute. This idea is part of a broader exploration into how the breakdown of technological artifacts can be applied to SETI searches, as Sheikh noted.
- In related news, scientists have been investigating the Martian gullies, which resemble those found on Earth but are formed by a mechanism other than water. The first images of these gullies were shocking, as their similarities to Earth's gullies were uncanny, but all of Earth's gullies are formed by water runoff, and Mars is too cold and has too sparse an atmosphere for liquid water.
- Their first task was to completely disprove the theory that the gullies were driven by water. Scientists were surprised by the discovery that water itself has a very specific spectral absorption band at 1.5 um. This finding has led to a new understanding of the mechanisms behind gully formation on Mars.
- Researchers have now identified an additional mechanism that had largely escaped attention: the electrical charge carried by water droplets. This discovery, published in the journal Nature, could help scientists develop more effective and longer-lasting coatings.
- Scientists have traditionally attributed this type of deterioration to two major processes: mechanical stress, in which repeated contact with water droplets creates friction that slowly erodes a coating or causes pieces of it to peel away, and chemical processes, which involve the breakdown of materials through chemical reactions with water.
What's still developing
- The researchers are proposing we search the moon’s surface for microscopic bits of material shed by alien technology.
- He told The New York Times : If any other technological civilization has ever existed in our galaxy, it’s not an unreasonable hypothesis to think that particles of them are on the moon in some quantity.
- As scientists searched for intelligent extraterrestrial life — i.e., aliens — they’ve focused on a short list of standard possibilities.
- Whatever has been causing those changing gullies couldn’t have been water, so what was it?
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