Five specific gases identified as potential terraforming agents: fluorinated methane, ethane, propane, nitrogen and fluorine or sulfur and fluorine
Gases could serve as technosignatures for identifying signs of intelligent life beyond Earth
New study suggests detection of unnatural greenhouse gases on exoplanets could be evidence of alien civilizations terraforming worlds
Sulfur hexafluoride has 23,500 times the warming power of carbon dioxide
A new study from various universities and institutions, including the University of California Riverside, suggests that the detection of certain artificial greenhouse gases on exoplanets could be evidence of alien civilizations terraforming planets in their solar systems. These gases are not naturally occurring and must be manufactured, implying a sign of intelligent life.
The researchers identified five specific gases as potential terraforming agents: fluorinated versions of methane, ethane, and propane; as well as gases made of nitrogen and fluorine or sulfur and fluorine. These gases are incredibly effective greenhouse gases with long lifetimes in an Earth-like atmosphere.
Sulfur hexafluoride, for example, has 23,500 times the warming power of carbon dioxide. One out of every million molecules in an Earth-like atmosphere could be one of these gases and it would be potentially detectable using next-generation telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope or the European LIFE mission.
These gases could serve as technosignatures, allowing us to identify signs of intelligent life beyond Earth. The study opens up new possibilities for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) and highlights the advancing capabilities of our space observation technology.
The researchers emphasized that these findings do not guarantee the existence of alien civilizations but provide a new tool for scientists to explore this possibility further.
A new UC Riverside study identifies the artificial greenhouse gases that would be giveaways of a terraformed planet.
Five specific gases proposed by the researchers as potential terraforming gases include fluorinated versions of methane, ethane, and propane, along with gases made of nitrogen and fluorine or sulfur and fluorine.
These gases are incredibly effective greenhouse gases.
Sulfur hexafluoride has 23,500 times the warming power of carbon dioxide.
One out of every million molecules in an atmosphere like Earth’s could be one of these gases, and it would be potentially detectable.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(95%)
The article does not contain any formal logical fallacies. However, it does present a dichotomous depiction of aliens either using fluorinated gases for terraforming or CFCs which destroy the ozone layer. This oversimplifies the potential choices available to an alien civilization and appeals to authority by citing expert opinions throughout the article without presenting counterarguments. Additionally, there is an inflammatory rhetoric in phrases such as 'jaw-droppingly amazing' and 'signs of intelligent, technology-using life forms'.
A relatively small amount [of sulfur hexafluoride] could heat a freezing planet to the point where liquid water could persist on its surface.
A new study from The University of California, Riverside identified artificial greenhouse gases that would be giveaways of terraformed planets.
These gases are not known to occur naturally in large quantities and must be manufactured, implying a sign of intelligent, technology-using life forms.
The James Webb Space Telescope could potentially detect these gases on terraformed planets and produce an infrared signature.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(95%)
The author makes several scientific statements in the article that are not fallacies. However, there is an instance of an appeal to authority when the author quotes Edward Schwieterman stating that 'if they are there, it is entirely possible to detect them during currently planned missions.' This statement implies that because Schwieterman is a lead author of the study and an astrobiologist, his opinion on the detectability of these gases is valid. While his expertise lends credibility to the study's findings, it does not guarantee their accuracy or applicability in this specific context.
'You wouldn’t need extra effort to look for these signs, if your telescope is already characterising the planet for other reasons.'
'And it would be jaw-droppingly amazing to find them.'
University of California, Riverside astrobiologists identified five artificial greenhouse gases that would be detectable in exoplanets’ atmospheres using NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope and future space-based telescopes.
These gases are effective greenhouse gases with long lifetimes in an Earth-like atmosphere.
Finding these gases would be a sign of intelligent, technology-using life forms.
The five gases are used in industrial applications such as making computer chips on Earth.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(95%)
The author makes an appeal to authority when stating that 'finding them [the gases], therefore, would be a sign of intelligent, technology-using life forms.' This is not a logical fallacy as such statements are valid when reporting on scientific findings. However, the score is deducted points because the author also states 'For us, these gases are bad because we don’t want to increase warming,' which implies a value judgment and bias towards the gases being discussed.
finding them [the gases], therefore, would be a sign of intelligent, technology-using life forms.
A study from the University of California, Riverside suggests that signs of alien civilizations terraforming planets in distant solar systems could be detectable using Earth’s telescopes.
The researchers found that these gases could be detectable even if they made up only one out of every million molecules in a planet’s atmosphere using next-generation telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope or the European LIFE mission.
