Category: cosmology

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PULSAR SHOCKER—SCIENCE’S BIGGEST BLIND SPOT!

Why does Six-Sigma not apply to pulsar theories?

Pulsars have puzzled scientists for over 50 years, and many mysteries remain. Some wonder if these cosmic signals could actually be alien beacons rather than natural objects.

You’ve heard of neutron stars and their eerily precise lighthouse flashes of radio waves. But did you know the world’s leading experts openly admit they still don’t know how—or even why—pulsars pulse? Despite more than five decades of dedicated research since their discovery, fundamental aspects of the mechanisms that govern pulsars remain incompletely understood.

WHAT THEY WON’T TELL YOU

• 50 Years of “Mystery Science”
– Pulsars were discovered in 1967 by Jocelyn Bell Burnell.
– The first pulsars were named “LGM” for “Little Green Men”,
because they resembled deliberate intelligent signals from aliens.
– The discovery was kept a secret for two years, until a “natural” explanation could be found.
– Yet top reviews concede: “No consensus on how pulsars make coherent radio beams.”
– Even their heavyweight magnetosphere models are “pure speculation,” say the academics.

Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovered Pulsars in 1967
Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovered Pulsars in 1967

• Energy “Conversion” Conundrum
– How does a spinning neutron star turn its spin into light and X-rays?
– Experts shrug: “We don’t know where particles get accelerated… or how.”

• Interior Secrets Locked Tight
– The neutron-star Equation of State? A “well-kept secret,” even on Wikipedia.
– We can’t recreate these ultra-dense conditions on Earth—so we’re flying blind.

THE BIG QUESTION SETI WON’T ASK

If we’re this stumped by “natural” objects, could some pulsars actually be artificial beacons—designed by a super-advanced Kardashev Type III civilization? Imagine harnessing a stars energy to craft perfect, long-range lighthouses! Isn’t this a concept that the Kardashev Scale proposes?

Yet SETI protocols dismiss the idea outright:
• They focus on faint, homely radio signals—never megastructures beaming across the Milky Way.
• They’ve never seriously tested whether pulsar “noise” could be cosmic Morse code.

WHAT IF SOME PULSARS ARE ETI LIGHTHOUSES?

– Perfect timing, colossal power output, pinpoint beams… sounds like engineered tech!
– A K-III society could be “pinging” planets for millennia, and we’ve assumed it’s just physics playing tricks.

CALLING ALL STAR HUNTERS

It’s time to break the dogma. We need to:
1. Re-examine pulsar data for hidden patterns or intentional modulation.
2. Expand SETI’s search to include high-power, pulsed signals.
3. Admit our ignorance—and embrace wild ideas to solve these cosmic riddles.

Until we dare to ask whether pulsars are aliens’ calling cards, we’ll remain stuck in the dark—waiting for E.T. to ring a bell we refused to check. Isn’t it time someone blew the whistle on astrophysics’ biggest oversight?

Scientists on the Limits of Pulsar Knowledge

Beyond the specific unsolved problems within subfields of pulsar research, there are numerous instances where scientists make overarching statements explicitly acknowledging the incomplete state of current knowledge regarding these enigmatic objects.

Several key publications and resources directly state the limitations in our understanding of pulsars:

Beskin, Chernov, Gwinn, & Tchekhovskoy (2015):

In their review “Radio Pulsars,” these authors plainly state, “Almost 50 years after radio pulsars were discovered in 1967, our understanding of these objects remains incomplete.” This is a clear and high-level admission of the persistent gaps in knowledge from experts summarizing the field.

Hankins, Rankin, & Eilek (2009):

The white paper “What is the Physics of Pulsar Radio Emission?” opens with the frank assessment: “Despite much careful theoretical and observational effort, the details of how these rapidly rotating neutron stars radiate are still a mystery.” While focused on radiation, this statement implies broader difficulties in understanding the core processes.

Contopoulos, Kalapotharakos, & Kazanas (2014):

In “A new standard pulsar magnetosphere,” the authors remark, “Though pulsars were discovered almost fifty years ago, they still remain mysterious stellar objects.” This general statement encapsulates the enduring enigmatic nature of pulsars.

NASA on PSR B0943+10:

When discussing the “puzzling pulsar” PSR B0943+10, a NASA resource notes that “astronomers… aren’t sure how the particles get stripped from the surface of the star and accelerated to high energies”. The observation of its inverse radio/X-ray pulsing “reignited debate,” indicating that any prior consensus on such emission behavior was either absent or fragile and that existing models were insufficient.

“Pulsar Electrodynamics: an unsolved problem”:

The very title of a research area or a specific paper can be telling. While there is a paper on this topic, the broader identification of “Pulsar Electrodynamics” as “an unsolved problem” is a direct admission of ongoing challenges. The source itself discusses unresolved issues like “charge starvation” and “current starvation” in electrodynamic models, implying these are areas not fully settled.

The Unknown Equation of State (EoS):

A “Well-Kept Secret”
A critical unknown is the Equation of State (EoS) of matter at these supranuclear densities. The EoS describes the relationship between pressure, density, and temperature, and it dictates the macroscopic properties of the neutron star, such as its radius for a given mass and its maximum possible mass.

Neutron star equation of state, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1387647310000564
Neutron star equation of state, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1387647310000564

Multiple sources unequivocally state the current lack of knowledge. Wikipedia’s entry on Neutron Stars, often reflecting expert consensus, asserts: “The equation of state of neutron stars is not currently known.” The entry elaborates that this uncertainty arises because the extreme densities are impossible to replicate in terrestrial laboratories, and theoretical modeling must incorporate General Relativity as well as complex aspects of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), potential superconductivity, and superfluidity of nuclear matter. Understanding the EoS is described as a “major unsolved problem in fundamental physics.”

This sentiment is strongly echoed in the scientific literature. A 2017 review by Chamel et al., “The physics of the neutron star crust,” notes that while the physics of the outer crust is relatively better understood, “the structure of the matter in neutron star cores and in particular its equation of state remain the well-kept secret of neutron stars”. The inability to definitively determine the EoS means that fundamental parameters, such as the precise upper mass limit for neutron stars before they collapse into black holes (the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff limit), remain uncertain, with theoretical estimates varying.

SIX-SIGMA:

Scientific Theories: When a theory encounters contradictory evidence or fails to explain a new observation, it is not a “defect” in the scientific process. Instead, it signals that the theory may be incomplete, incorrect under certain conditions, or in need of refinement. Such discrepancies are essential for scientific progress, often leading to new hypotheses or even paradigm shifts. This mindset may be exactly what’s needed to advance our understanding of pulsars.

References:

Are Radio Pulsars Extraterrestrial Communication Beacons?
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264785777_Are_Radio_Pulsars_Extraterrestrial_Communication_Beacons

Pulsar Positioning System: A quest for evidence of extraterrestrial engineering
https://arxiv.org/abs/1704.03316

A 4–8 GHz Galactic Center Search for Periodic Technosignatures
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-3881/acccf0

‘Unlike anything we have seen before’: Astronomers discover mysterious object firing strange signals at Earth every 44 minutes, May 28, 2025
https://www.livescience.com/space/unlike-anything-we-have-seen-before-astronomers-discover-mysterious-object-firing-strange-signals-at-earth-every-44-minutes

Chameleon pulsar takes astronomers by surprise, 19 February 2013
https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/chameleon-pulsar-takes-astronomers-by-surprise.html

Black hole blazar changes direction and now points its jet towards Earth
An inexplicable change of course
https://ras.ac.uk/news-and-press/research-highlights/galaxy-changes-classification-jet-changes-direction

(FRINGE) Decoding the Message of the Pulsars: Intelligent Communication from the Galaxy
https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-Message-Pulsars-Intelligent-Communication/dp/1591430623

Beskin, V. S. (2018). Radio pulsars. Physics-Uspekhi, 61(7), 655–686.

Hankins, T. H., Rankin, J. M., & Eilek, J. A. (2009). What is the Physics of Pulsar Radio Emission? Astro2010: The Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey, Science White Papers, no. 120.

Contopoulos, I., Kalapotharakos, C., & Kazanas, D. (2014). A new standard pulsar magnetosphere. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 443(1), L45–L49.

NASA. (2013, October 23). NASA’s Chandra and XMM-Newton Find Puzzling Pulsar. NASA Missions.

Petri, J. (2019). Pulsar electrodynamics: an unsolved problem. Journal of Plasma Physics, 85(5), 15850501.

Chamel, N., Fantina, A. F., & Zdunik, J. L. (2017). The physics of the neutron star crust. In The Physics and Astrophysics of Neutron Stars (pp. 57-95). Springer, Cham.

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The Sagan Paradox, Chapter 1: The Golden Record

Introduction and Carl Sagan’s Early Work

Artwork inspired by Linda Salzman Sagan’s design for the Pioneer plaque, commissioned by NASA: click here view the original design

Carl Sagan (1934–1996) was an American astronomer, astrobiologist, and author. After NASA was founded in 1958, Sagan became a consultant for the agency. His first job involved planning the explosion of an atomic bomb on the moon, the A119 project. Highly controversial, to say the least. In 1961, at the age of 27, he published a study on the atmosphere of Venus. In 1970 he researched the conditions that could lead to the emergence of life in the cosmos on distant planets. To achieve this, he exposed frequently occurring elements to the UV radiation of a young sun and observed how amino acids, the building blocks of life, were formed from them. Carl Sagan became a full professor at the astronomy department at Cornell University. Around this time, talk shows began inviting him as a popular guest to discuss the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

Reference: Carl Sagan, Long wavelength ultraviolet photoproduction of amino acids on the primitive Earth

“Hello, Aliens!”: Voyager Probes Get Sagan’s First Broadcast

In 1972 and 1977, Carl Sagan sent the first messages to extraterrestrials into space on the panels of the space probes Pioneer 10 & 11 and the Golden Record of Voyager 1 & 2.

The gold-plated aluminum cover (L) of the Voyager golden record (R) both protects it from micrometeorite bombardment and also provides a key to playing it and deciphering Earth’s location. NASA

It contains greetings and wishes for peace from the people of Earth in 55 languages. Earthlings extend their friendship, wish happiness and health, and express hope to one day meet their cosmic neighbors. They also express the desire for goodwill and harmony among all beings in the universe.

Reference: Golden Record Greetings – NASA Science
Each of the Voyager spacecraft, launched in 1977, carried a golden phonograph record. One of its purposes was to send a message to extraterrestrials who might find the spacecraft as it journeyed through interstellar space.

The greetings are in alphabetical order, from Akkadian (an extinct language for over 2000 years) to Wu Chinese. The inclusion of Akkadian in this earthly record is pretty strange. One day, these transmissions might be intercepted as they pass through space by an alien culture.

Voyager’s ‘Cosmic Map’ Of Earth’s Location Is Hopelessly Wrong

With the help of the included pulsar map, these aliens could potentially find Earth. Pulsars are stars that rhythmically emit radiation, like interstellar lighthouses. We can use them as a cosmic GPS.

Pulsar GPS: Sagan’s Star-Beacon Timecode Reveals 1971 Earth

Over long periods of time, the frequency of a pulsar slows down. Thus the pulsar map designed by scientist Frank Drake and graphic artist Linda Salzman Sagan is not only a determination of the position of our Earth in space, but the map also precisely pinpoints the position of Earth in time: 1971.

What if a prospective alien civilization has or develops the ability to time travel? What would they do with the information provided by our space probes?

Speculation about the subject makes for the greatest sci-fi story ever told. This is particularly true when we consider the included Mesopotamian-language greeting and the Annunaki creation myths—some of which have been popularized by Zecharia Sitchin and others.

Of course, intercepting our space probes is extremely unlikely. It could take millions of years, if at all. But then again, the life expectancy of the Golden Records is 5 billion years.

Aliens recovering the Golden Record
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Posing the Cosmic Question: What Occurs Within a Black Hole?

AI’s Provocative Claim: “Humans Are Ignorant”

Consider the following intriguing questions: What happens to the very dimensions of spacetime inside a black hole? Different responses from an AI highlight both our current understanding—and our limitations.

Pablo Carlos Budassi, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

First Perspective: Continuity of Four-Dimensional Spacetime

One reply asserts that objects falling into a black hole do not lose any dimensions. In this view, spacetime retains its four-dimensional structure (three dimensions of space plus one of time) both outside and inside the event horizon. The singularity—where density becomes infinite—is not actually a state reduced to 1D. Instead, it represents a point where general relativity breaks down after entering a black hole. Although quantum gravity theories such as loop quantum gravity propose alternatives (for instance, “bounces” that avoid the singular state), none of these ideas involve a reduction in the number of dimensions.

Second Perspective: Dimensional Breakdown at the Singularity

A subsequent response from the same AI emphasizes a different perspective. In Einstein’s theory, the singularity is defined as a point of infinite density and extreme spacetime curvature. It is where the equations of general relativity “break down.” In this classical picture, spacetime loses its well-defined four-dimensional structure (3 spatial dimensions plus 1 time dimension). For non-rotating, or Schwarzschild, black holes, the singularity is described as a 0D point. In contrast, for rotating (Kerr) black holes, the singularity takes on the form of a 1D ring.

Urbane Legend, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons

Reconciling the Contradiction: Artifacts of Mathematical Models

The AI explains these seemingly contradictory responses with a reminder that, in general relativity, the singularity is not a physical object. Instead, it is a mathematical artifact. The labels “0D” and “1D” serve as geometric shorthand—conceptual placeholders that indicate where our classical theories fail. In effect, these designations (“here be dragons”) acknowledge the limits of our current understanding of extreme gravitational environments, especially those involving black holes.

Embracing the Unknown in Theoretical Physics

In summary, one perspective maintains that spacetime remains four-dimensional throughout the journey into a black hole. This is true even as general relativity breaks down at the singularity. Another viewpoint suggests that, near the singularity, the familiar four-dimensional framework is lost. It collapses into a 0D point or a 1D ring depending on the black hole’s rotation. Ultimately, both answers are reminders of the limits of our current theories and the continuing challenge of unifying general relativity with quantum mechanics.

Stephen Hawking’s Insight: Illuminating Our Limitations

An illustrative image from Stephen Hawking’s Reith Lecture on 26 January 2016 further underscores this point. Hawking’s insights remind us that while our current models of black holes capture many aspects of reality, they also expose profound gaps in our knowledge.

Until a successful theory of quantum gravity is developed, these descriptions remain approximations. They reflect human ignorance as much as our understanding.

Image: from Stephen Hawking Reith lecture, 26 January 2016