Are aliens hiding their messages?

May 8, 2003 | Source: EurekaAlert

Two physicists have come up with an intriguing solution to the Fermi paradox (If we are not alone in the Universe, why have we never picked up signals from an extraterrestrial civilization?).

They suggest a way in which aliens could send messages to each other across space that not only disguises their locations but also makes it impossible for a casual observer to even distinguish the messages from background noise.

A signaller splits the message into two parts, so that the photons are sent in opposite directions to mirrors located far from the home planet. The mirrors redirect the signals to the intended receiver, who recombines the photons to reconstruct the message.

It would be impossible to detect the message at all without extremely sophisticated technology or gain accurate information about the direction in which they are travelling.