Produced by: Tarun Mishra
An Ohio State University radio telescope picked up a mysterious pulse of radiation in 1977, known as the "Wow!" signal. Lasting 37 seconds and originating from the Sagittarius constellation, its unexplained nature, being in a radio frequency band which is banned on Earth, continues to puzzle astronomers.
A 2001 refinement of the 1960s Drake equation, estimating planets hosting intelligent life, proposed the galaxy could contain hundreds of thousands of life-bearing planets. This included considerations for planets in the "habitable zone," enhancing the search for Earth-like conditions.
In 1996, NASA scientists announced finding potential fossilized microbes in the Martian meteorite ALH84001 from Antarctica. Though controversial, the discovery claimed organic molecules and signs of "nanobacteria." Deep examination of the Martian rock revealed the presence of organic molecules and minuscule particles of the mineral magnetite, a substance occasionally observed in Earth bacteria.
Jupiter's moon Europa's red tinge, previously mysterious, was proposed in 2001 to be due to frozen bits of bacteria. While the harsh surface conditions pose challenges for bacterial survival, the subsurface liquid interior could harbour life periodically.
University of Texas astrobiologists proposed in 2002 that peculiar anomalies in Venus' atmosphere could be explained by microbial life. The presence of unusual compounds, including carbonyl sulphide, raised the possibility of microbial activity in the Venusian clouds.
Italian scientists in 2003 hypothesized that sulphur traces on Jupiter's moon Europa might be waste products of underground bacterial colonies. The Galileo space probe detected these compounds, suggesting the potential presence of bacteria thriving below the moon's icy surface.
Independent observations in 2004 found evidence of methane in Mars' atmosphere, a gas often associated with microbial metabolism on Earth. The ongoing debate explores whether the detected methane signals the presence of life or has alternative geological origins.
In 2004, the SETI project reported receiving a mysterious radio signal on three occasions from the same region of space. The signal, originating between the constellations Pisces and Aries, raised speculation about potential artificial transmission, although the true nature remains undetermined.
In September 2023, UFO enthusiast Jaime Maussan sent shockwaves through the world by presenting two mummified creatures with elongated skulls to Mexico's Congress. Claiming these "alien bodies" were discovered near the famed Nazca Lines in Peru, he fueled speculation about extraterrestrial life. Maussan used carbon dating and X-rays to bolster his argument, suggesting an age of 1,000 years and non-human bone structures. The bodies are still under investigation.