Debunk this: quaser = UFO?

[ehilge]

I recently read a book by Ben Bova, an engineer and sci-fi writer. One of the topics he discussed is that of interstellar travel. He posited that if aliens used something like antimatter as propulsion for interstellar travel, we should be able to see them because of the large amount of energy that would be created. His explanation is that quasars could be alien spacecraft that are currently moving away from us near the speed of light resulting in the large redshift. He had a reasoning for craft moving toward us also but I don't recall that one. Anyway, he also mentioned that his idea could be disproved but only with some advanced knowledge of cosmology. Since I have no advanced knowledge of cosmology, I was wondering what you guys think of Bova's idea.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Eh, this is way too speculative.

Let's address it this way: What are quasars, and how do we know?

 

[elven]

"A quasi-stellar radio source (quasar) is a very energetic and distant galaxy with an active galactic nucleus" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quasar

You can't disprove this idea, because we have no knowledge whatsoever of alien life forms. I could claim that aliens inhabit the center of every star. I could claim that black holes are generated by aliens and are not natural. I could claim many things, Ben Bova could claim that quasars are alien spacecraft and we could not disprove that.

 

[Jack21222]

It would be one heck of a coincidence that alien spacecraft have similar spectra to galaxies. Here, let me show you.

http://cas.sdss.org/dr7/en/tools/explore/obj.asp?id=587742059987140666"

Does that look like the spectrum of matter/antimatter annihilation to you?

Does that look like a spaceship to you?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Does that look like the spectrum of matter/antimatter annihilation to you?

Perhaps you could elaborate?

 

[turbo]

Ivan, quasars, have spectra comparable to those of nearby stars. If you want, I will gladly link to a Michael Strauss presentation that explains this in much greater detail. Bright quasars cannot possibly be primordial objects unless the BB notions about hierarchical matter formation and the formation of heavier elements through supernova condensation and explosion are absolutely wrong.

BTW, Michael Strauss is the scientific spokesperson for the SDSS team, so he is not exactly a nut-case.