What makes the WOW! signal so unique from all other radio transmissions observed in space?
In: Physics
Really the only unique thing about the WOW! signal is that The frequency of the signal occurred almost exactly at what’s known as the hydrogen line, which is the resonant frequency of hydrogen. Most SETI researchers agree that this is exactly the frequency an extraterrestrial intelligence might use to transmit information because of it’s mathematical importance and because it is able to travel well across space without getting blocked by gas and dust clouds. The WOW! signal did not contain any information, and although it was much more powerful than ordinary background radiation, it was by no means the most powerful signal we’ve ever detected.
Latest Answers