According to the report, vast regions and numerous objects in the solar system remain insufficiently explored.
These are technological objects of non-terrestrial origin whose presence can be detected in the solar system.
The review concludes that, despite decades of space exploration, much of the solar system continues to be observed with limited resolution.
For example, in observations of the outer solar system, a body about 1km in size could go unnoticed in the available images.
Lazio’s conclusion is not to suggest that extraterrestrial probes might be hidden in the solar system.
The hypothesis that extraterrestrial civilisations exist and that they have sent exploratory probes into the solar system cannot be ruled out based on currently available data. That is the conclusion of a paper presented at the International Astronomical Union (IAU) on technosignatures, which analyses the extent to which scientific searches have succeeded in detecting signs of nonhuman technology in our cosmic neighbourhood.
According to the report, vast regions and numerous objects in the solar system remain insufficiently explored. At great distances, even characterising small objects – comparable in size to a probe – remains a complex task.
For decades, much of the search for extraterrestrial technology has focused on detecting anomalous electromagnetic signals, ranging from radio transmissions to possible laser pulses. According to author and radio astronomer T Joseph W Lazio, the exploration must be expanded to include the search for physical artefacts. These are technological objects of non-terrestrial origin whose presence can be detected in the solar system. This includes probes carrying information, objects abandoned in orbit and even artefacts deposited on planets, moons or asteroids.
He further argues that the main challenge lies not in just finding artefacts, but in interpreting them. An object may exhibit an unusual trajectory, an out-of-the-ordinary temperature, strange materials or an unusual shape – characteristics that could distinguish these artefacts from other celestial bodies. However, confirming whether it is a natural phenomenon or a possible technological artefact requires additional observations and considerable resources.
Lazio recalls a recent case that illustrates this difficulty. In 2020, an object named 2020 SO caught the attention of the scientific community due to its unusual trajectory. Subsequent observations revealed that it was likely not an asteroid, but rather a Centaur rocket stage launched decades earlier.
The review concludes that, despite decades of space exploration, much of the solar system continues to be observed with limited resolution. This situation reflects a practical limitation of modern exploration. Observatories generate enormous volumes of data, but their resolution and coverage are still insufficient to thoroughly examine every corner of the solar system.
For example, in observations of the outer solar system, a body about 1km in size could go unnoticed in the available images. Even for much better-studied bodies, such as the moon or Mars, the volume of information is so great that reviewing it completely poses a considerable technical challenge.
Given this scenario, Lazio proposes using artificial intelligence to alleviate part of this bottleneck. Machine learning algorithms could sift through the enormous amount of data generated by observatories and space missions to locate objects with unusual properties. A well-trained AI could identify candidates of interest among data sets that continue to grow day by day.
Lazio’s conclusion is not to suggest that extraterrestrial probes might be hidden in the solar system. His argument is simpler: we do not yet know our cosmic neighbourhood in sufficient detail to rule out that possibility with absolute certainty.
This story originally appeared on WIRED Español and has been translated in English.
