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| Radio Astronomy, cloud circles around a cloudy sun, Radio Antena, Man walking in a desolate winter scene. |
G’day everyone,
While we search the cosmos for proof of intelligent life, I believe we might be missing the target as we search only for the bullseye. What do I mean?
Regarding my bullseye example, imagine that you’re an archer in a skills contest. The mightiest of bowmen gather to compete for being the first to hit the bullseye while being blindfolded. Each archer believes that s/he possesses tools, tricks, and skills that make the archer’s strategy and tactics unique... Unfortunately, a strong, erratic breeze kicked up. Blindfolded, none of the competitors were able to hit the bullseye. In fact, they were so focused on correcting for the windiness that all missed not just the bullseye, but they missed the target altogether.
Then, along came a scrawny, sickly guy with his raggedy, underpowered bow and warped arrows. He let fly one crooked arrow and wins the tournament. Why? After all, his arrow merely stuck into the outer edge of the target. He was off by three feet, and so he won.
How does this story relate to a hydrogen paradox?
For decades, astronomers have scanned the cosmos in hopes of being the first to discover signs of intelligent life.a sign of intelligence, we assume, would be the recognition of the hydrogen line.
— or the frequency that hydrogen emits radiation, which is 1420 MHz.
Scientists, governments, and astronomers all agree to not transmit within the spectrum of the hydrogen line. Keeping this frequency clear and noise-free will allow for more likely detection of intelligent life among the stars.
What if there are, indeed, intelligent aliens who are advanced enough to appreciate the importance of communicating within the hydrogen line. Then, what if they make the same assertions that we have? That keeping the frequency of 1420 MHz clear of local radio transmissions will allow for the detection of other-worldly intelligence.
Well, what if everyone’s so proud of their intelligence that no one — anywhere — broadcasts within the 1420 MHz band.
Well, it would likely be extremely quiet as we searched for intelligent, verifiable, and duplicated transmissions within this hydrogen line.
In essence, imagine every astronomer in the universe keeps 1420 MHz quiet because of the shared belief that detection would first be plausible from traffic within the hydrogen line?
What if advanced civilizations don’t communicate via radio transmissions and gave up on the frequency of 1420 MHz altogether?
What if so many galactic astronomers listen in on 1420 MHz, and no one transmits in it? We’d have a paradox — one where all observers intuitively and intelligently assume that the first frequency a civilization would transmit on is the hydrogen line? So, the universe ends up listening to absolutely nothing.
No one transmits, and yet everyone listens to this first important frequency.
So, like the well trained and skilled archers, assumptions, guesswork, and overcorrection makes them miss the bullseye. They missed the target completely.
I suspect some dumb shmuck will absentmindedly — and finally — transmit on 1420 MHz while some other amateur astronomer happens to hear the transmission, and thus wins the distinction of being the first to discover intelligent life within the cosmos.
Have a nice day.
~ RJ
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