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Tabby's Star Megastructure Communication

The irregular and slowly progressive dimming of solar radiation from Tabby's star, aka KIC8462852, has led to all sorts of speculations attempting to explain this odd phenomenon. Could it be a swarm of comets or other icy bodies? The astrophysicists seem to have decided against this explanation. Could it be an alien megastructure? If so, what is its purpose?
The most commonly discussed megatructure explanation is that it is a partially completed Dyson sphere, intended to capture the energy of Tabby's star. In 1960 Freeman Dyson published his ideas as to how a star could conceivably be harvested of nearly its entire energy output, on a continual basis, if a spherical megastructure of solar panels were built around the star.
Might that be what is happening at Tabby's star? Are space aliens slowly constructing a Dyson sphere? If they are constructing such an alien megastructure, is its purpose energy collection? Another possibility comes to mind. That possiobility is that it might be a signal to other civilizations searching for extraterrestrial life (that being intelligent interstellar life forms extraterrestrial to them). As a matter of fact, it could quite well have dual purposes of collecting energy and serving as a kind of semaphore signal to other interstellar intelligent and possibly space faring civilizations. 
Why would they contruct a permanent, physical structure as an interstellar and possibly even intergalactic signal device? The obvious reasons would be 1) such an alien megastructure would be seen from all directions, since its a Dyson shere, and 2) the signal energy would be continually provided by the starlight travelling through the Dyson sphere. Other interstellar civilizations, whatever their direction from Tabby's star, couls detect the stellar anomaly, and would be stimulated to investigate it, as our scientists are doing currently. Out of billlions of visible stars, this one in particular is in the news, because we are investigating it carefully for other signs of intelligent alien life because of the strange and anomalous light patterns we can easily detect. Detecting radio wave, microwave, or laser light intelligent communications will be more difficult, but because of the much more easily found stellar light emission anomalies, we are looking for them. 
Compare the signalling capabilities of an interstellar alien megastructure such as a Dyson's sphere to other forms of interstellar communication such as radio or laser. Radio and laser, the kinds of interstellar signals we have sent, are unidirectional and have a significant energy cost. We must produce the enery needed for these transmissions, which can be very costly if we are ever to send a truly strong and durable radio or laser interstellar transmission, especially if the transmission is a continuing beacon type of signal. In which direction would we send such signals? If meant to simply communicate our presence as an invitation to other interstellar alien civilizations, how could we know where yo pont the transmissions? Would it not be far more sensible to have an omni-directional signal beacon, such as a Dyson sphere?
In summmary, if the sole or collateral purpose of an alien megastructure arounf Tabby's star is to serve as a signalling devise, it appears to be causing at least one other alien civilizatn to be taking notice of the signal, that civilization being we Earthlings.

As an interstellar communication beacon, the massive construction effort required to erect a Dyson sphere may seem profligate. However, it might actually be a very energy efficient option when compared to the speculated alternatives. Laser beam signals, as an example, not only are unidirectional unless they are rotating, but would be largely lost in the background light of the planets' nearby star. To beam an interstellar laser signal throughout the cosmos from a solitary home world would take an abundance of lasers. However, rather than beaming signals to the cosmos, extraterrestrials might choose to beam towards likely tagets, such as the ancient Earth. If they did this thousands of years ago we might be able to detect the signal, just now arriving from the vast interstellar distances. Scientists are doing so now, and may have detected some interesting activity. The somewhat occult nature of the light wave configurations that have been detected from multiple stars out of 2.4 milln examined for potential laser beam signals ensure that years if not decades will be required for a scientific consensus to develop as to whether these are signals from extraterrestrial intelligent life or simply natural phenomenon.
The anomalies around Tabby's star are far more easily detectable, and more readily apparent as not being any type of known natural phenomenon. If an alien megastructure exists there as a beacon to attract attention, and to garner replies via radio, laser, or other means, it is obvious that the builders of the beacon would probably be reasonably nearby the beacon. They might also wish to communicate with those who try to contact them. If we eventually receive actual messages from them, how would we respond? 
Surely the work of the Metalaw Association to develop a framework of interstellar legal aspirations for humanity would at some point be an important part of the information about our planetary culture that we would need to communicate. It would indicate many things about us as a culture, and possibly serve as the foundation for how we might eventually personally meet our extraterrestrial counterparts.

Extraterrestrial Wow! Signal Theory

Decades after the original detection of the "Wow! Signal" by astronomer Jerry Ehlman using Ohio State University,s Big Ear radio telescope, a new theory as to the origin of the signal has been proposed. 
The wow signal was detected during a scan of a portion of the cosmos looking for the kind of radio beacon we Earthlings might send if we were trying to announce our presence to other intelligent life forms. A very strong, but short in duration, signal on the predicted wavelength was received once, but never again. Scientists have been ruling out various proposed natural origins ever since. The newest theory is that a constellation of comets, with heavy tails of water vapor, caused the signal. The perfect time to test this theory is in 2017. If this new theory is debunked, we will once again be left without an explanation from the natural world for this radio blast. This remarkable radio wave blast seems to have occurred just once, or perhaps undetected just a few other times, but never again while we were scanning for it.
If it were instead a radio beacon from another world, why hasn't it been repeated? What kind of intelligent aliens would just blast out one or two radio beacon signals towards us and then go silent? Maybe beings like us, because we've done it ourselves.
The director of the former soviet radio telescope facility in Crimea Ukraine sent a single radio message towards the planet Gliese 581c. The radio blast will reach the planet in the year 2029. Any extraterrestrial intelligent aliens on that planet will likely be quite surprised when it arrives, if they are listening for such transmissions, and perhaps subsequently befuddled as to why there were no follow up transmissions from Ukraine, planet Earth.
Its very likely that most intelligent life forms scattered throughout the galaxy are just like us, essentially marooned on their tiny planets just like islands in the vast sea of outer space. Who amongst us should have the right to send our feeble electronis messages to other worlds? Should there be any rules governing those transmissions? These and other serious issues are contemplated by the Metalaw Association for presentation tonour relevant government agencies.

Comets? Astronomer Anotonio Paris is excited to test his theory that a pair of previously unknown comets caused the Wow! Signal in 2017, when the comets will reappear. Other scientists are sceptical about his comet theory. Over the decades, experts have considered many natural and man-made explanations for the wow signal. So far they have not settled on any such source of the phenomenon. They do however seem to have come to a consensus that the Wow! Signal originated in outer space. But could the wow signal have emanated from the hydrogen-rich tail of a comet? The scientists are doudtful. 
Let's hope that the comet theory is thoroughly tested this coming year. If proved, the cometary origin of the wow signal will provide exciting new science. If disproven, we will once again be wondering if the Wow! Signal was our first recorded message from extraterrestrial intelligent alien life. 
One way or another, we Earthlings need to prepare ourselves for what many experts believe to be an inevutability...our eventual interaction with extraterrestrial intelligent alien life.

First Contact...How Will It Occur?

We think that we are a technologically advanced civilization, But we are not. We are in the infancy of technological progress. 
This may be the reason that our passive SETI efforts have been fruitless thus far. We Earthlings are searching for the kind of interstellar communicative transmissions that we would send, if we had an active SETI program. Those types of transmissions woukd be via radio wave, microwave or laser light. 
In a relatively short period of time,mwe are likely to possess the capability of transmitting active SETI via neutrino beams. Scientists think that neutrino beam communication is the most likely method that alien extraterrestrial intelligent life forms will be communicating. If that is true, then we do not even have the capability to listen for such messages as a component of passive SETI, let alone answer them. 
Another potential scenario for first contact with intelligent extraterrestrials may be by our discovery of a fleet of nano-spacecraft. Such tiny spacecraft are postulated to be a very rapid and efficient way to send physical probes or messaging devices between solar systems. Lets assume arguendo that a reasonably nearby extra-solar civilization has detected our earliest radio transmissns and wants to find out more about us. Innsuch a scenario, they might send nano-space probes at nearly the speed of light to our solar system. We might possibly detect their presence if we intercept or detect radio or laser transmissions of data back to their home planet. Or perhaps they sent the craft to our solar system in order to let us know they wish to commmunicate. Uopn arrival in orbit around the Earth, they could conceivably announce their presence to us via radio transmissions inviting us to recover the probes and examine them. Upon examination, they may reveal to us a prefered method of communication and perhaps even the technology to engage in such communication, such as via neutrino beams. Neutrino beam interstellar communication technology would truly be a gift as well as an invitation to communicate.
Certainly many scenarios for our first contact with intelligent extraterrestrial alien life can be contemplated. Once first contact has been made, will we be ready to act, or refrain from acting in response? We need to plan ahead so that we will be ready.

Metalaw in Popular Culture

Metalaw can be described as the legal specialty focused on the consideration and promulgation of suggested rules, regulations and laws meant to enhance and promote the peaceful interaction of humankind with alien intelligent life forms and extrasolar cultures. While the term metalaw is not frequently used in popular culture since it is not yet well known,   
In 1958 author Robert A Heinlein wrote the fictional story, Have Spacesuit - Will Travel, in which a character spoke of "space law and meta law". Another fictional story written not long after metalaw came into existence was the novel titled A Matter of Meta Law, written in 1986 by Lee Correy. 
The now fifty years of Star Trek movies and television shows provides perhaps the most extensive examples of rules, regulations, and "laws" engaged in  fictional interplanetary relations within popular culture. Among these codifications ofrules and norms, the most famous from Star Trek and very well known to Trekkies world-wide, is the "prime directive". Star trek's prime directive in the fictional series is the order to avoid interfering in the cultural development if extraterrestrial intelligent alien beings. 
Although principles of metalaw are common in fictional popular literature and film featuring the interaction of Earthlings with extraterrestrials, the specific term metalaw is not yet very much known. No doubt this will change over time, as the legal specialty becomes evermore active and better developed. To learn more about metalaw, please Examine the postings on our related website meta-law.com where articles and postings relating to the legal soecialty of metalaw and activities of the Metalaw Association can be read.

UFOs Radioing Russia?

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Russia has received radio signals from a distant solar system compatible with SETI criteria for possibly being signals created by extraterrestrial intelligent life . In the ongoing search for intelligent life in outer space, few such radio signals have ever been detected. They are, therefore, rare and deserving of further investigation.

This radio signal appears to have emanated from solar system HD164595. It is located 94 light years from Earth. The solar system is known to have at least one planet, a large Neptune sized world. Because of its distance, the possibility of other planets around the host star cannot be excluded.

The host star is similar to our own, both in size and radiance. It seems to be a bit older, though, by approximately a billion years. These characteristics make the suspect solar system much more likely to harbour life similar to our own, thereby placing it in the minority of known solar systems.

The signal was received by the RATAN – 600 radio telescope located near Zelenchukskaya, Russia. The radio telescope and its programming for the reception of this signal are unique in that it has an unusual beam shape, and a bandwidth of 1 GHz. One gigahertz of bandwidth is far greater than normal SETI search bandwidths. The Russian astronomers reported their findings to the international SETI committee. Additionally, a description of the presentation was communicated in writing to many other SETI scientists.

Following the reported discovery, the Alien Telescope Array (ATA) has begun examining the region of space near HD164595 to confirm the finding. The Alien Telescope Array, also known as either the Allen Telescope Array or the One Hectare Telescope, is SETI’s newest and now primary instrument to examine areas of the cosmos for signals from intelligent life sources. The ATA is located in California at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory.