Aliens in nearby stars can detect Earth using radio signals leaking from the planet, according to new research. Scientists from the University of Manchester and the University of Mauritius used crowdsourced data to model radio leakage from cell phone towers to determine what alien civilizations could detect from various nearby stars, including Barnard’s Star, located six light-years from Earth.

A study published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societyfound that only more technologically advanced civilizations could detect current levels of radio leakage from base stations from Earth. However, as most alien civilizations likely have more sensitive reception systems, and as more powerful broadband systems develop on Earth, it will become more and more likely that humans will be detected by other intelligent beings.

Professor Mike Garrett, project team leader and director of the Jodrell Bank Center for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester, said: “I’ve heard many colleagues argue that the Earth has become increasingly radio-quiet in recent years – I’ve always disputed that claim. “

“Even though we have fewer powerful television and radio transmitters today, the worldwide spread of mobile communication systems is huge. Even though each system individually has relatively low radio power, the billions of integrated spectrum of these devices is important.”

“Current estimates show that by the end of the decade we will have more than a hundred thousand satellites in low Earth orbit and beyond. Earth is already abnormally bright in the radio frequency spectrum; if this trend continues, we would be easily detected by any advanced civilization with the right technology.”

Models showing signals that extraterrestrials can receive from Earth were created by Ramiro Saide, an intern at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory of the SETI Institute and a graduate student at the University of Mauritius.

The modeling also shows that Earth’s mobile radio signal includes a significant contribution from developing countries, including Africa, as the scientists say.

Dr Nalini Hiralall-Issoor, Saeed’s supervisor and associate professor at the University of Mauritius, said: “Through space missions such as Kepler and the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, we learn more about the properties of exoplanets every day and learn more from James Webb. “The space telescope. I believe there is a high probability of advanced civilizations out there, and some of them may be observing man-made radiation from planet Earth.”

Next, the research team aims to expand its research to include other sources of Earth’s radio leak signal, such as powerful civilian and military radars, new digital broadcasting systems, Wi-Fi networks, individual cell phones, and satellite constellation swarms. Launched into low Earth orbit, like Elon Musk’s Starlink system.