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The Observer published a story on the mysterious topic entitled: “Not a Drill: SETI Is Investigating a Possible Extraterrestrial Signal From Deep Space,” setting off feverish speculation. But scientists are much, much more prosaic about the finding.

“The chance that this is truly a signal from extraterrestrials is not terribly promising, and the discoverers themselves apparently doubt that they’ve found ET.”

“Nonetheless, one should check out all reasonable possibilities, given the importance of the subject,” writes Seth Shostak, a Senior Astronomer at SETI Institute.

If — and it’s a very big if — the signal was aimed at our solar system intentionally, or broadcast in all directions, it would “require an effort far, far beyond what we ourselves could do, and it’s hard to understand why anyone would want to target our solar system with a strong signal.” In order to broadcast the signal in all directions across solar systems, Shostak says it would require 100 billion billion watts. In other words, he says more energy than all the sunlight falling on Earth.

The signal still inspired astronomers at the institute to look into the signal. Beginning on the evening of August 28, SETI scientists aimed the Allen Telescope Array, located at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory in California, at HD 164595. So far: nothing, but they are continuing to monitor the situation and perform follow-up observations of the star system.

“Without a confirmation of this signal, we can only say that it’s ‘interesting.'”