An international team of scientists from the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) is investigating mysterious signal spikes emitting（发出）from a 6.3-billion-year-old star in the constellation（星座）Hercules—95 light years away from Earth. The implications（含义、暗示、暗指[ɪmplɪ'keɪʃ(ə)n]）are extraordinary and point to the possibility of a civilization far more advanced than our own.
The unusual signal was originally detected on May 15, 2015, by the Russian Academyof Science-operated RATAN-600 radio telescope in Zelenchukskaya,Russia, but was kept secret from the international community.Interstellar（星际）space reporter（记者）Paul Gilster broke the story（首家报道）after the researchers quietly circulated（流传，散布，传播）a paper announcing the detection of “a strong signal in the direction of HD164595.”
The mysterious star’s designation（名字，称号）is HD164595, and it’s considered to be sun-like in nature with a nearly identical metallic（金属的[K.K.:mə'tælɪk]）composition（[kɒmpə'zɪʃ(ə)n]）to our own star. So far, a single Neptune-like（类海王星）(but warmer) planet has been discovered in its orbit（轨道）—HD 164595 b. But as Gilster explained, “There could, of course, be other planets still undetected in this system.”
Decorated Italian SETI researcher and mathematician Claudio Maccone along with Russia’sNikolai Bursov of the Special Astrophysical（天体物理学的）Observatory（天文台，气象台）are the principal scientists working on the apparent discovery. They claim that “permanent monitoring of this target is needed.”
“The signal conceivably（令人信服的）fits the profile for an intentional transmission from an extra terrestrial source,” said Alan Boyle, author of The Case for Pluto（冥王星）who reported the story for Geekwire. “In any case, the blip is interesting enough to merit（值得，应获得）discussion by those who specialize in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.”
The signal’s strength（强度）indicates that if it in fact came from a isotropic（等方向性的）beacon, the power source would have to be built by a Kardashev Type II civilization. (The Kardashev scale is used to determine the progress of a civilization’s technological development by measuring how much energy was used to transmit an interstellar message.) An ‘Isotropic’ beacon means a communication source emitting a signal with equal power in all directions while promoting signal strength throughout travel.
In his acclaimed work “Transmission of Information by Extraterrestrial Civilizations,” Soviet astronomer Nikolai Kardashev explained that a Type II civilization would be able to harness（利用）the energy of their entire host star. The most common hypothetical（假设的，假定的，有待证实的）example of this would be a Dyson Sphere—which is a massive artificial structure that could completely encapsulate a star and transfer the energy to a nearby planet.
Basically, if the signal was beamed（发出光与热）out into the galaxy without aim or direction,that would require an enormous amount of power to actually be detected. But what if the signal was beamed specifically at our solar system?Well, that would require less energy and could indicate the presence（存在）of a Kardashev Type I civilization—meaning that it could be a highly technological,contemporary society that harnesses（利用）the solar energy emitted by its local star,much like our planet does withsolar panels. This particular civilization’s social structure is theorized to be completely globalized and interconnected（相互联系的）.
“The signal is provocative（煽动性的，刺激性的）enough that the RATAN-600 researchers are calling for permanent monitoring of this target,” said Gilster. And that’s exactly what is transpiring（发生）. As of last night, the SETI institute is diverting（使转移，使转向）its Allen Telescope Array in northern California to investigate while their counterparts（与对方地位相当的人，与另一方作用相当的物）at METI International (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence) will use Panama’s Boquete Optical Observatory.
The detection of the mysterious signal and the ensuing（接着发生，因而发生，随后的）investigations will be discussed at the IAA SETI Permanent Committee during the 67th International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, on September 27—the same day and location where Elon Musk will reveal his plans to colonize（开拓殖民地）Mars. The Observer will be following up on both these stories from the Congress.
Robin Seemangal focuses onNASA and advocacy for space exploration. He was born and raised in Brooklyn,where he currently resides. Find him onInstagramfor more space-relatedcontent:@nova_road.
关于生词的解释可参看：
http://www.jianshu.com/p/555262b7d300