MYSTERIOUS flashing lights visible among the stars may be signs of alien activity, scientists claim.
Around 100 of the blinking red glow have been spotted by astronomers over the past 70 years and scientists still have no explanation for them.
2
In a new scientific paper, experts claim these lights could be evidence of an undiscovered space event ... or ET.
There's a chance they're signs of alien structures or "interstellar communication lasers", researchers wrote in the Astronomical Journal.
However, this is an outside bet, and the most likely source is "natural, if somewhat extreme astrophysical sources."
The team based in Sweden examined publicly accessible images, such as old military records, dating back to the 1950s.
2
They compared these historical observations to modern sky surveys to find signs of blinking lights, such as stars that have disappeared from the Milky Way.
"Finding an actually vanishing star or a star that appears out of nowhere! would be a precious discovery,"said project leader Beatriz Villarroel, of Stockholm University.
"It certainly would include new astrophysics beyond the one we know of today."
Stars typically die in one of two ways: Either slowly transitioning into white dwarfs or rapidly exploding as supernovae.
In total, 100 objects were found that fit neither of these categories. Instead, they disappeared from the night sky and appeared again later.
Researchers said they had no direct evidence the lights were caused by aliens.
Fermi Paradox what is it?
Here's what you need to know...
However, they're almost out of ideas and warned an extraterrestrial origin could not be ruled out.
The only natural explanation for the lights would be a "failed supernova".
This is a theoretical prediction foe what happens when a very massive star collapses into a black hole.
It's thought such events don't give off an explosion, though they're extremely rare.
Whatever scientists find, the discovery of the source would likely change the face of astrophysics forever.
"The implications of finding such objects extend from traditional astrophysics fields to the more exotic searches for evidence of technologically advanced civilisations," experts wrote.
DEAD WRONG From vagina impalement to 'death by elephant'history's most gruesome executions
GOLDEN FIND Greek tombs 'once lined with gold' and treasures unearthed after 3,500 years
TIDAL TERROR Sea level 'doomsday' simulator reveals whether YOUR home would be wiped out
DINO DISASTER Dinosaurs may have been poisoned by mercury BEFORE killer asteroid hit Earth
SEE-SICK 'Chunder Thunder' optical illusion makes painting of ship look like it's lurching
CHEWED OUT Entire genetic code of a 5,700-year-old girl pulled from lump of 'chewing gum'
In other news, trillions of tiny alien probes may be flying in space but are too small for Nasa to spot, according to one recent paper.
A former Nasa scientist claimed in October that the space agency found alien life on Mars in the 1970s.
Andhere's why some people still think the Moon landings were faked 50 years later and the man who started the hoax theory.
Do you think aliens exist? Let us know in the comments!
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at tech@the-sun.co.uk
See the original post:
Mysterious blinking lights in the night sky could be ALIENS, new study claims - The Sun
- Rotational spectra of isotopic species of methyl cyanide, CH_3CN, in their ground vibrational states up to terahertz frequencies [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Cosmological parameter extraction and biases from type Ia supernova magnitude evolution [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Continuous monitoring of pulse period variations in Hercules X-1 using Swift/BAT [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Constraining the ortho-to-para ratio of H{_2} with anomalous H{_2}CO absorption [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- A photometric and spectroscopic study of the new dwarf spheroidal galaxy in Hercules - Metallicity, velocities, and a clean list of RGB members [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Luminosities and mass-loss rates of SMC and LMC AGB stars and red supergiants [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Electron beam – plasma system with the return current and directivity of its X-ray emission [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The propagation of the shock wave from a strong explosion in a plane-parallel stratified medium: the Kompaneets approximation [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Analysis of hydrogen-rich magnetic white dwarfs detected in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Letter: Centaurus A as TeV \gamma-ray and possible UHE cosmic-ray source [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Young pre-low-mass X-ray binaries in the propeller phase - Nature of the 6.7-h periodic X-ray source 1E 161348-5055 in RCW 103 [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Radiative rates and electron impact excitation rates for transitions in Cr VIII [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Solar granulation from photosphere to low chromosphere observed in Ba II 4554 Å line [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Does the HD 209458 planetary system pose a challenge to the stellar atmosphere models? [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Effect of asymmetry of the radio source distribution on the apparent proper motion kinematic analysis [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Destriping CMB temperature and polarization maps [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Search for cold debris disks around M-dwarfs. II [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Precise data on Leonid fireballs from all-sky photographic records [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- An X-ray view of 82 LINERs with Chandra and XMM-Newton data [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Radio observations of ZwCl 2341.1+0000: a double radio relic cluster [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Candidate free-floating super-Jupiters in the young \sigma Orionis open cluster [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The metallicity gradient as a tracer of history and structure: the Magellanic Clouds and M33 galaxies [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- XMMSL1 J060636.2-694933: an XMM-Newton slew discovery and Swift/Magellan follow up of a new classical nova in the LMC [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The inner rim structures of protoplanetary discs [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The solar Ba{\sf II} 4554 Å line as a Doppler diagnostic: NLTE analysis in 3D hydrodynamical model [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Magnetic evolution of superactive regions - Complexity and potentially unstable magnetic discontinuities [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Low-mass protostars and dense cores in different evolutionary stages in IRAS 00213+6530 [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- PMAS optical integral field spectroscopy of luminous infrared galaxies - I. The atlas [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- First AGILE catalog of high-confidence gamma-ray sources [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Radiative hydrodynamics simulations of red supergiant stars - I. interpretation of interferometric observations [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Extrasolar planets and brown dwarfs around A–F type stars - VII. \theta Cygni radial velocity variations: planets or stellar phenomenon? [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Cosmic rays and the magnetic field in the nearby starburst galaxy NGC 253 - II. The magnetic field structure [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Physical structure and water line spectrum predictions of the intermediate mass protostar OMC2-FIR4 [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The bright galaxy population of five medium redshift clusters - II. Quantitative galaxy morphology [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Dust in brown dwarfs and extra-solar planets - II. Cloud formation for cosmologically evolving abundances [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The quiet Sun magnetic field observed with ZIMPOL on THEMIS - I. The probability density function [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Complexity in the sunspot cycle [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Properties and nature of Be stars - 26. Long-term and orbital changes of \zeta Tauri [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The massive Wolf-Rayet binary LSS 1964 (=WR 29) - II. The V light curve [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Supernova progenitor stars in the initial range of 23 to 33 solar masses and their relation with the SNR Cassiopeia A [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram of Star Clusters [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Table of the 10 Brightest stars within 10 Parsecs of the Sun [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram of the Nearest Stars [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Magnitude and Color in Astronomy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Stellar Types [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Brown Dwarfs [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Spotting the Minimum [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The Structure and Evolution of Brown Dwarfs [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- No Bang from the Big Bang Machine [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The Sizes of the Stars and the Planets [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- An Implausible Light Thrust [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- the Masses of Degenerate Objects [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Degeneracy Pressure [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Introduction to Degenerate Objects [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The Radii of Degenerate Objects [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The Inevitability of Black Holes [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Scientific Pig-Out [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The Neutrino Cooling of Degenerate Dwarfs [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The Neutrino Cooling of Neutron Stars [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Overview of Supernovae [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Energetics of Thermonuclear Supernovae [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Thermonuclear Supernovae [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Nuclear Reactions in Thermonuclear Supernovae [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Core-Collapse Supernovae [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Neutrinos and SN 1987A [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Revealing the sub-AU asymmetries of the inner dust rim in the disk around the Herbig Ae star R Coronae Austrinae [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Probing the dust properties of galaxies up to submillimetre wavelengths - I. The spectral energy distribution of dwarf galaxies using LABOCA [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- On the physical origin of the second solar spectrum of the Sc II line at 4247 Å [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- On detecting the large separation in the autocorrelation of stellar oscillation times series [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Imaging the spotty surface of Betelgeuse in the H band [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Chandra observation of Cepheus A: the diffuse emission of HH 168 resolved [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- A planetary eclipse map of CoRoT-2a - Comprehensive lightcurve modeling combining rotational-modulation and transits [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- The chemical composition of carbon stars. The R-type stars [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Flow instabilities of magnetic flux tubes - IV. Flux storage in the solar overshoot region [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Fragmentation of a dynamically condensing radiative layer [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Temporal variations of the CaXIX spectra in solar flares [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Deuterium chemistry in the Orion Bar PDR - “Warm” chemistry starring CH_{2}D^+ [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Metal abundances in the cool cores of galaxy clusters [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- The nature of the X-ray binary IGR J19294+1816 from INTEGRAL, RXTE, and Swift observations [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Relating basic properties of bright early-type dwarf galaxies to their location in Abell 901/902 [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]