Observable evidence of technology or engineering by intelligent civilizations, such as radio transmissions, artificial atmospheric compositions, megastructures, or industrial pollutants. These represent direct signs of technological activity rather than just biological life.
Modern compound from Greek 'techne' (art/skill) and 'signature' (Latin 'signatura'). The term gained prominence in the 2000s in SETI research to distinguish technological signs from biological biosignatures, emphasizing the search for intelligence rather than just life.
Technosignatures could include things we're already creating on Earth—industrial pollutants in our atmosphere might be detectable from light-years away as signs of technological civilization! Some scientists even propose looking for artificial lighting on the night side of exoplanets or massive engineering projects like Dyson spheres around stars.
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