1,420,405,751* hertz is a very important frequency.&nbsp; It’s the <a href="https://www.spaceacademy.net.au/spacelab/projects/hlineobs/hlineobs.htm">frequency that hydrogen radiates at</a>, creating radio waves that can be detected far away.&nbsp; And astronomers can learn a lot about the history and shape of the universe by <a href="https://www.rtl-sdr.com/tag/hydrogen-line/">observing this “hydrogen line” frequency</a> with radio telescopesExtraterrestrial research astronomers also <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/science-the-truth-about-extraterrestrials-and-the-hydrogen-band-1198826.html">take a lot of interest</a> in the hydrogen line...and it’s for the same exact reason, though the context is different.&nbsp; It’s thought that if an alien species is capable of communicating with us, <a href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/pdf/1993A%26A...278..669B">wouldn’t they also have figured out</a> the importance of the hydrogen line?&nbsp; And is it possible that just maybe, they’d use it (or frequencies near it) to communicate with us?&nbsp; The theory being that the hydrogen line could be used as a kind of universal hailing channel for intelligent species—a representation of a shared understanding of physics.&nbsp;Talk of the hydrogen line was front and center in 1977, when an American astronomer named Jerry R Ehman found <a href="http://bigear.org/Wow30th/wow30th.htm">a very strong signal</a> on the printout from a radio telescope dubbed “<a href="http://www.bigear.org/">The Big Ear</a>” at the Ohio State University.&nbsp; The signal he found was close to the hydrogen line.&nbsp; He noted the abnormality of the strong the signal by writing “Wow!” in red ink on the margins of the printout.&nbsp; The so-called “Wow! Signal” has long been cited as <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9943-top-10-controversial-pieces-of-evidence-for-alien-life/">potential evidence for alien communication.</a>&nbsp;But <a href="http://sethshostak.com/">Dr. Seth Shostak</a> (senior astronomer at <a href="https://www.seti.org/">The SETI Institute</a> and co-host of <a href="https://radio.seti.org/">Big Picture Science</a>) isn’t convinced.&nbsp; His organization searches for extra terrestrial intelligence across the universe with a high degree of skepticism.&nbsp; And he’s experienced <a href="http://www.cnn.com/TECH/9707/03/e.t.search/index.html">a false positive</a> or two over the years.&nbsp; Seth thinks the Wow! Signal (and other related anomalous signals) are <a href="https://www.seti.org/was-it-et-line-or-just-comet">almost always tied back to human interference</a>.&nbsp;In 1979 (not long after the Wow! Signal), frequencies near the hydrogen line became protected when a group called the <a href="https://www.itu.int/en/Pages/default.aspx">International Telecommunication Union</a> (ITU) created a <a href="http://handle.itu.int/11.1004/020.1000/4.101.43.en.100">1000+ page document</a> that included a worldwide recommendation to keep these channels clear for astronomy and SETI purposes, citing the “special importance to mankind to determine the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations.” (see page 920 of the <a href="http://handle.itu.int/11.1004/020.1000/4.101.43.en.100">Finals Acts of the World Administrative Radio Conference</a>, Geneva, 1979)&nbsp;&nbsp;Despite this protection, Seth Shostak says there’s still interference on the hydrogen line from human sources.&nbsp; That interference draws the ire of radio astronomers everywhere. Seth says, “It’s like turning on a bright light in a movie theater—you don’t ingratiate yourself with the [theater’s] patrons.”*give or take some fractional hertzProducer: <a href="http://jeffemtman.com/">Jeff Emtman </a>Music: <a href="https://theblackspot.bandcamp.com/">The Black Spot </a>Sponsor<a href="http://patreon.com/hbmpodcast">HBM’s Patreon Supporters</a>Here Be Monsters’ supporters on Patreon send a small monthly (or yearly) donation to help cover Jeff’s living expenses, help pay contractors, and help pay fees/taxes associated with running the show.Listener Andrew Conkling says he signed up for the Patreon because Here Be Monsters is one of his favorite podcasts: “I wanted to be part of the journey seeing it continue.”Please note that HBM is free and there are currently no plans to change that.&nbsp; However, patrons do receive some modest perks for their support. And that support means a lot. Thank you so much, HBM Patrons.&nbsp;👽Want to become a patron? <a href="https://www.patreon.com/HBMpodcast">https://www.patreon.com/HBMpodcast</a>

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