This is because, just like dying stars and supernovae, civilisations are likely to burn their brightest just before they vanish into darkness. Of the thousands of stars you can see, about a third will be giant, dying stars in the final stages of their lives. The supernovae from dying stars (pictured) are incredibly rare, but we see thousands every year because they are so bright. He says: 'So, by extension, we should expect that the first detection of an alien civilisation to be someone who is being unusually loud. Instead of doing deep studies of promising star systems or patiently waiting for a coherent message, Dr Kipping says scientists should frequently scan the entire sky.

Source: Daily Mail December 22, 2025 13:49 UTC