What if we’ve been silently observed by an alien
civilization since humanity’s genesis? A new idea put forth by
astronomer Dr. James Benford in a paper published in the Astronomical Journal
this week suggests that our search for alien intelligence should focus
on the “co-orbital” asteroids that orbit the sun in a similar pattern to
Earth. Benford suggests that these asteroids would provide perfect
observation decks on which aliens may have stationed robotic probes,
laying dormant since ancient times. He argues that these co-orbitals
should be a primary target for SETI,
the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. He also suggests that if
we look at these asteroids and do not find evidence of ancient alien
probes than it tells us something else: we’re well and truly alone and
no one cares about us.
Now that might be a pretty big assumption to make. After all, there’s
the whole fallacy of thinking that an alien intelligence would come up
with the same plans, tactics, and techniques as an Earth-bound
descendant of chimpanzees would. But it’s clear that Benford is right
about one thing at least—if aliens did have a long-term observation
strategy, co-orbital asteroids would be perfect staging areas.
Dr. James Benford calls these potential probes “lurkers.” They would
be small probes that have remained hidden and unnoticed for thousands of
years, watching us, or perhaps waiting for a signal to turn on and
begin watching us. A news release covering Benford’s new paper says:
“They may respond to an intentional signal and may not,
depending on unknown alien motivations. Lurkers would likely be robotic,
like our own Voyager and New Horizons probes.”
“Co-orbitals” are a recently discovered group of asteroids that orbit
the sun at similar rates to Earth, thereby staying at roughly the same
distance from our planet. If aliens had stationed probes on these
asteroids they would have a constant source of solar energy and and a
secure, hidden, and stable place from which to observe us. Regardless if
aliens use technology remotely similar
to ours or not, the physical laws of the universe would still apply.
Everything needs energy, and in the void of space solar energy is
probably the best bet regardless of what the probe actually looks like.
Benford says that probes hanging out on co-orbitals could possibly
sustain themselves for many thousands of years.
Benford says that if we did find an alien probe on one of these
co-orbitals we could simply photograph it and send it the photograph
with a message saying “we see you.” And sure, that’s a pretty creepy
thing to do, but so is spying on a whole species for all of their
evolutionary history. It’s only fair.
But if we don’t find one, Benford says that it would be strong evidence that we truly are alone. He says:
“If we find nothing there, this gives us a profound
result: no one has come to look at the life of the Earth, which has been
evident in our atmosphere in spectral lines over interstellar distances
for over a billion years.”
Would we even recognize evidence of an alien civilization if we saw it?
But it has to be said, what if they just did something else? Sure
co-orbitals would be perfect places to stage an observation from, but
many people who have been told there’s a perfect way to do something end
up doing it a completely different way, to varying degrees of success.
Jumping straight to “well if it’s not there, in that specific spot, then
that means it doesn’t exist anywhere else” is pretty ludicrous. That
sounds like what I say about my car keys when I’m grumpy in the morning.
But that’s a problem with looking for alien intelligence.
We don’t know what it looks like, and we don’t know how it thinks.
Assuming that it behaves exactly like Earth primates, when there’s a
whole universe of infinite possibility seems a little bit small minded.
But of course, that’s coming from someone who is 100% sure his car keys
got eaten by a black hole at least three times per week.
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