That’s only true based on technology that we have and our current understanding of physics. We’ve only had telescopes for about 400 years; there’s no way of knowing what advanced intelligence might be out there and what capabilities they might have. It’s possible that there’s a civilization out there that’s so much more advanced than us that we’re not much more interesting than yeast is to the average person.
They have interesting methods to detect gravity waves using large arrays and have been for some time, and can now detect longer oscillations in waves, still caused by cataclysmic events.
Dr Becky Smethurst is an astrophysicist who is an expert in blackholes
Radio waves are an excellent medium for studying the universe in fact. As “light” waves travel they grow longer and move down the electromagnetic spectrum, from visible light, through infrared, and eventually into micro and then radio waves.
Gamma, X-Ray, visible light, infrared, micro, radio, all the same spectrum. Same stuff. Just different wave lengths
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Nobody disputes the EM spectrum as a great way how to observe the universe. The issue we discussed with Howard is the issue of detection of an artificial signal (which is by definition limited in its frequency and power) that suffers from the inverse square law of uniformly spreading signals which decreases with the square of the distance from the emission point which makes this particular type of radio waves not so great medium for detection => renders the notion that we don’t see anyone, because they’re not broadcasting, as something of “how do you know” kind of argument.
“And pray that there’s intelligent life somewhere up in space, 'cause there’s bugger-all down here on Earth.”
- Galaxy Song, Monty Python
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I was actually calculating this last night and then realized that’s not the actual detection limit so this is moot anyway 
It still comes down to the sensitivity of the receiver. We’d still need to set a limit, say one photon per square kilometer or something, as they could still be detected (either alone or as modulating the CMB).
As a reference, using a 1GW transmitter (about 10x the current average output of radio and television on Earth), the detection limit of FAST would be reached at about 30ly (and Arecibo about 20). That’s padding us quite a ways into the future for telescope technology, especially since the farther back you go, the farther back in time you go.
This is one of the big parts of the Great Filter/Drake Equation/etc - you have to be looking at the right time with the right technology just when someone else is transmitting with the right technology. Getting the windows to line up where one society is looking at the exact time another in range is transmitting, on a cosmological time scale, is a big filter.
This was also bugging me so I looked it up and the answer is mixed. Our current theories do have gravity wave power decaying at 1/r^2 but amplitude at 1/r, which is interesting. Part of what gives them their range is also simply the vastly cataclysmic nature of the events that generate them. That’s… a lot of energy.
Anyway, nothing new here, just in the interest of accuracy and keeping myself honest above.
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Not to mention that everything needs to be simultaneous in relative terms. There could have been past civs out there, or future ones, but to find ETI we have to exist with them in the same time frame, and honestly in a cosmic scale we haven’t been around very long.
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Yeah exactly. It’s like trying to find someone in the dark using a single flashbulb at a random point in their life when you only get to open your eyes for 10 minutes total out of your life. And they may not be alive in the same century as you.
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Well, if there ARE aliens and they decide to invade, it seems i’m not living in a good place for that 
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Maybe that’s why the X-Files stopped filming there after season 4 
Hope you and @Barney can tell us all about the anal probes one day.
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I’m now over 50, so thanks to Canada’s medical system, I get a free one of those every year from my doctor.
Speaking of doctor’s I went for a checkup last week.
My doctor said “Well Barney, you’re going to have to stop masturbating.”
I said “Oh really, why?”
He said “So I can examine you.”
Nice sunny day in BC and I’m back working on building my new deck. Have a lovely Sunday wherever you are.
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At my last doctors visit I told him that every time I have sex my eyes burn. He said Darryl that’s just the pepper spray.
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Apparently that is supposed to be good for your prostate, er, allegedly
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Wow. That’s just wrong
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that’s what he said. 
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People keep seeing iPhone users in old videos and paintings so even if we did have proof, there are a lot of people who will never be convinced that there aren’t secret alien UFO that the government/military are hiding
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