Basically, they've found a source of electromagnetic energy emanating within a particular section of the sky. It remains constant, within a particularly tight frequency band and, at this time, does not appear to be caused by any known astrophysical occurrence.
They're proceeding slowly, and are continuing to confirm observation from several other sources.
Should all other possible astrological (natural) sources be ruled out, it would leave only one other logical origin.
Reminds me of the "ah ha" moment of code they had back in the day. Would hope it's true but I don't believe they are using our "telegraph" radio ways. Broad spectrum electromagnetic analysis might be a truer way to go. Hell, they could be communicating using gravity or neutrinos.
But you never know. Maybe they like radio out there in the trailers of Kentucky.
Arguing on the internet is like winning the special olympics, even if you win your still messed up.
Anyway, any other method (known or unknown) would be practically impossible to detect just because of the vastness of it all. If an extraterrestrial intelligence was communicating or connecting using another method (optical/laser or whatever), it would probably require line-of-sight interception. Good luck with that!
I would believe that since SETI is also bankrolled (at least in part) by the gov. telltale signal or no-very unlikely any info of contact would never see the light of day. Hell esp in 2012 can you imagine how shook up some people would be.
Secondly, you would not necessarily need line of sight if your talking measuring of energy signatures, quantum tunneling, or other esoteric forms. Wasn't the Navy themselves looking into using neutrinos for submarine communication and planet penetration location waves?
If there are many or even a few civilizations that are 100x, 1000x, or more advanced than ours in the local galaxy the amount of information they would process (along with energy) would be more than colossal. Probably just a matter of reading what kind of "tells" they are in order to detect them . Making progress I would think but still like asking a pilgrim to spot a Wi-Fi signal.
Where's Art Bell when you need him lol.
Arguing on the internet is like winning the special olympics, even if you win your still messed up.
I just wish that the program they're using/distributing to scan these signals wasn't such a resource eater and outright pain in the ass. I for one would love to help out, but having switched from a PC to Mac, my limited resources are precious as it is. The old "screen saver" software seemed much better in my opinion.