We Have Been Revealing Our Location To Aliens Every Hour, Every Day — And Had No Idea!

Last Updated:July 10, 2025, 11:43 IST

Earth's radar signals reach 200 light years into space, unintentionally revealing our presence to aliens. Scientists urge caution over radio emissions

Such emissions could allow alien civilisations not only to detect us, but also to assess our level of technological advancement. (AI Generated/News18 Hindi)

A new study has made a striking claim: Earth is unintentionally signalling its presence to potential extraterrestrial civilisations, every hour of every day. This constant stream of information is being emitted through powerful radar systems used in airports and military installations, with signals travelling as far as 200 light years into space.

The findings were presented at the National Astronomy Meeting 2025 hosted by the Royal Astronomical Society in Durham, UK.

Radar Signals Escaping Into Space

Radar systems at airports, designed to monitor air traffic, emit strong radio waves that leak into space. Scientists studied nearby stars, such as Barnard’s Star and AU Microscopii, to determine what these signals might look like to alien observers.

They found that the combined output from these systems reaches around 2×10¹⁵ watts, a strength potentially detectable by extraterrestrials using radio telescopes comparable to Earth’s Green Bank Telescope.

Military Radar: Even More Powerful

Military radar presents an even greater concern. These systems are not only more powerful, but also more focused, sending concentrated beams of radio energy skywards. The output in certain directions can reach 1×10¹⁴ watts, easily strong enough to alert advanced civilisations to our presence.

Scientists noted that the artificial nature of these signals is unmistakable, clearly indicating technological activity.

Should We Be Concerned?

Professor Michael Garrett of the University of Manchester, United Kingdoms, a co-author of the study, emphasised that the findings raise important questions. “Our radar technology is effectively announcing our existence to the cosmos", he explained.

While the signals may be unintended, they are unambiguous. Professor Garrett warned that such emissions could allow alien civilisations not only to detect us, but also to assess our level of technological advancement.

Need For Radio Awareness

The study highlights a broader issue: how Earth’s technological footprint is spreading into space.

Scientists argue it may now be time to reconsider how and where we use high-powered radio emissions, especially given the unpredictable nature of alien intelligence. Whether such exposure is ultimately benign or hazardous remains unknown.

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