Scientists want to use the sun’s gravity to communicate between stars

  • Leader
    November 30, 2023 4:14 PM PST
    Sending light beamed messages from star to star may be possible with using the suns gravitational energy to be able to investigate the planets surfaces in our solar system.

    [url=https://www.popsci.com/science/solar-gravitational-lensing/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us]https://www.popsci.com/science/solar-gravitational-lensing/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us


    Slava Turyshev, a scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, is trying to harness one of these gravitational lenses closer to home, using our sun.In a new paper posted to the pre-print server arXiv, Turyshev computes all the detailed math and physics needed to show that it is actually possible to harness our sun’s gravity in this way, with some pretty neat uses. A so-called “solar gravitational lens” (SGL) could help us beam light messages into the stars for interstellar communication or investigate the surfaces of distant exoplanets.


    I have to admit, I didn't read all of this, because it's way above me, but I thought the premise was fascinating, as well as the physics and complicated math it took to get to the point of this possibility.