Of all the questions that remain unanswered, the question of life in the Universe is surely the one that captures our attention the most. In a Universe whose observable edge is 46 billion light years away, is it even conceivable that we are alone, the sole planet among the millions and perhaps billions that are out there, where life has evolved, an oasis of life in the cosmic ocean?

In the search for alien civilizations, researchers have proposed that it may be possible to use bright galactic events like supernovae to act as a focal point for civilizations to announce their presence! Spearheading the search for extraterrestrial civilizations is SETI – the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. SETI was set up in 1984 as a non-profit group dedicated to research and education across multiple disciplines.

Its overarching goal of course, to drive our exploration into the origins of life across the Universe. The research spans multiple technologies from data analytics, machine learning and signal detection techniques across physical and biological sciences.

In a paper published in the Astronomical Journal on 12 February 2024, SETI researchers reported an interesting and exciting development in the search for ET. Using observations from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) the team monitored the SETI Ellipsoid.

The Ellipsoid is a geometric approach which identifies an egg-shaped region of space within which, any intelligent civilizations would have had time to observe a significant astronomical event, based on the time it takes for light to travel across space. The concept suggests that civilizations may take the opportunity to synchronise signals, making it possible for us to detect their presence.

These findings open up new possibilities and avenues for exploring the existence of extraterrestrial life. The quest to unravel the mysteries of the cosmos continues, and with each new discovery, we inch closer to understanding our place in the Universe.