On August 15, 1977, Ohio State University's Big Ear radio telescope detected a strong narrowband signal. Upon reviewing the results, Astronomer Jerry R. Ehman wrote, "Wow!" and circled "6EQUJ5" on the printout. The letters indicated intensity, with the "U indicating an intensity 30 standard deviations above background noise. The observatory's director subsequently described the signal as "highly suggestive of extraterrestrial origin" in a letter to Carl Sagan. The signal was never observed again, and astrophysicists have been hunting for an explanation ever since.
A team from the Planetary Habitability Laboratory at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo thinks they have found the answer, and unfortunately, it's not aliens.
The research proposes that the Wow! Signal may have been caused by a unique astrophysical event: the sudden brightening of a cold hydrogen cloud due to stimulated emission from a transient strong radiation source, such as a magnetar flare or a soft gamma repeater (SGR). These rare events might cause hydrogen clouds to momentarily shine much brighter, potentially explaining the fleeting nature of the Wow! Signal.
This hypothesis not only accounts for the unique characteristics of the Wow! Signal but also highlights a new source of false positives in the search for extraterrestrial technosignatures. "Our study suggests that the Wow! Signal was likely the first recorded instance of maser-like emission of the hydrogen line," added Méndez. This hypothesis may redefine our understanding of such signals and guide future searches for extraterrestrial life.
So, just normal space stuff, not a signal from other life forms, but the search continues…
Previously: Pentagon review finds no evidence of aliens or related cover-ups
