Aliens Aren't Responsible For The 'Alien Megastructure' Star

Researchers explore the mystery of Tabby's Star's light fluctuations, likely caused by dust rings, debunking the alien megastructure theory.

D-brief
By Nathaniel Scharping
Jan 4, 2018 3:09 AMJul 24, 2024 3:21 PM
An artist's concept of a ring of dust orbiting Tabby's Star
. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

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We can probably put our hopes of meeting aliens on hold just a little bit longer. A team of researchers studying "Tabby's star," a stellar object whose mysterious dips in brightness have puzzled scientists and enthralled space enthusiasts, has announced that the most likely explanation for the behavior is a cloud of fine dust circling the star—wah, wah.

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