04 November 2023 , 07:35
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An infrared northern lights-style aurora on Uranus could be the key to helping mankind finally track down alien life, scientists have claimed.
The aurora on the distant planet was spotted by boffins looking at the temperatures of the gas giants in the Solar System and they hope the findings could help explain the magnetic fields of other planets close to Earth. That could help them discover if distant planets support alien life.
Physicist Emma Thomas, from the University of Leicester, who was lead author on the new study, said: "The temperature of all the gas giant planets, including Uranus, are hundreds of degrees Kelvin/Celsius above what models predict if only warmed by the Sun, leaving us with the big question of how these planets are so much hotter than expected?"
Uranus may hold the key to finding aliens (Getty Images/iStockphoto)According to the Daily Star, she added: "By analysing Uranus’s aurora which directly connects to both the planet's magnetic field and atmosphere, we can make predictions about the atmospheres and magnetic fields of these worlds and hence their suitability for life.
"Our results will go on to broaden our knowledge of ice giant auroras and strengthen our understanding of planetary magnetic fields in our solar system, at exoplanets and even our own planet."
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Earlier this year scientists revealed new data found two of the 27 moons orbiting Uranus could have active oceans deep beneath their surfaces where extra terrestrials (ETs) could also be present.
And For many astronomers, the question is no longer whether there is life elsewhere in the Universe but it is when it will be found. Experts are hopeful of detecting life signs in a faraway world within our lifetimes, possibly in the next few years. And one scientist believes that it would be "surprising" if there was no life on one of Jupiter's freezing moons.
Professor Michelle Dougherty, who is the lead scientist of the European Space Agency's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, Juice, mission, said: "It would be surprising if there wasn't life on one of the icy moons of Jupiter."
The news comes as a "time traveller" predicts just when life beyond our planet will make contact. Aliens may well be closer than we think, according to Adam Archon, the mystery man who claims to be visiting 2023 from more than 20 years in our future.
It appears beings from other worlds are keen to get in touch sometime soon with the 'time traveller' claiming aliens could be making first contact in 2028. In fact, Adam – who made a series of claims while hooked up to a lie detector and passed every time – says they are already here on the planet, and it is only a matter of time before they become public knowledge.
He said: "In fact, we have known of the existence of aliens before 2028, but it isn't until 2028 that it becomes public knowledge. It was just kept secret until they released it publicly. I can confirm that aliens do not come from space, but I cannot elaborate on where they come from because of the possibility of a paradox."