Alien Landing Strips? Airports Could Guide Aliens to Earth, Study Suggests

NDTV

08-07-2025

A new study found that the radar systems used by civilian airports and military operations may be potentially revealing Earth's existence to "extraterrestrial observers", or aliens. Radar systems emit electromagnetic signals that can travel into space, detectable by powerful radio telescopes, said researchers of a study presented at the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS)'s National Astronomy Meeting 2025 in Durham, England on July 8.
The research simulated how radar signals from airports like London's Heathrow and New York City's JFK International spread out into space and could be detectable from nearby stars like Barnard's Star and AU Microscopii.
As per NASA, Barnard's Star, which is less than six light-years away, is "the closest single star to our sun and the most fast moving". Meanwhile, AU Microscopii is among the youngest planetary systems ever observed by astronomers. It is set less than 32 light-years from Earth.
"Our findings suggest that radar signals-produced unintentionally by any planet with advanced technology and complex aviation system-could act as a universal sign of intelligent life," study lead and astrophysicist Ramiro Saide of the University of Manchester said in a statement.
These signals could be strong enough to be picked up by strong telescopes. If alien life exists within 200 light-years and has advanced technology, they might be able to detect these signals.
This unintentional signal leakage could also act as a universal sign of intelligent life, helping astronomers focus on what to look for in the search for extraterrestrial civilisations.
The study noted that the military radar signals are more focused and directional, creating "lighthouse-like" beams that sweep across space.
"By learning how our signals travel through space, we gain valuable insights into how to protect the radio spectrum for communications and design future radar systems," added paper co-author and Manchester astronomer professor Michael Garrett.
"The methods developed for modelling and detecting these weak signals can also be used in astronomy, planetary defense, and even in monitoring the impact of human technology on our space environment."
Saide concluded: "In this way, our work supports both the scientific quest to answer the question 'Are we alone?' and practical efforts to manage the influence of technology on our world and beyond."