A sufficiently advanced alien civilization, if it was located in a star system a few light years away from our planet, would be able to detect the presence of life on Earth thanks to all the signals that mankind broadcasts, claims a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Manchester and the University of Mauritius.
The scientists have arrived at this conclusion by simulating "radio leakage" coming from mobile towers and trying to gauge whether it would be possible to detect these signals from stars located relatively close to Earth, such as Barnard's star some six light years away.
Professor Mike Garrett, director of the Manchester University’s Jodrell Bank Center for Astrophysics and team leader of the project in question, pointed to the "proliferation of mobile communication systems" in the world, which he described as "profound."
"Current estimates suggest we will have more than one hundred thousand satellites in low Earth orbit and beyond before the end of the decade," he said as quoted in a press release issued by the University of Manchester. "The Earth is already anomalously bright in the radio part of the spectrum; if the trend continues, we could become readily detectable by any advanced civilization with the right technology."
The researchers now intend to expand their scope of work by adding signal leakage from radars, Wi-Fi networks and satellites to the equation in a bid to determine how these signals may be perceived from outer space.