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Imagine planet Earth from an outsider's point of view. From many light-years away, it probably wouldn't seem all that impressive through some sort of futuristic telescope technology. Anyone watching Earth as a transiting exoplanet wouldn't see our world as a vibrant oasis suffused with blue, green, and tan, as it appears in up-close satellite images. They would simply see a lump of rock getting in the way of the Sun.

The real fun would start if those looking could zoom in more. A lot more. So much they could spy on our lives. If that sounds interesting to you as well, there's a Twitter account that shows our everyday life without any filters. Out of Context Human Race shares fan-submitted images (and sometimes videos) that paint a broad picture of what's going on around here. Continue scrolling and check some of them out.

Lisa Kaltenegger, an astronomer at Cornell University, enlisted the help of Jackie Faherty, an astrophysicist who works at Hayden Planetarium, and together they took on the task of identifying stars that might host alien worlds where the residents—past, present, or future—would have a chance of detecting Earth as a transiting exoplanet.

In other words, these planets would have just the right vantage point to observe a slight dip in the brightness of our sun as Earth crosses, or transits, in front of it. It's actually the most successful method we use to find planets beyond our solar system as they orbit around their own host stars, creating tiny blips in the light we can see with astronomical instruments.

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In June, Kaltenegger and Faherty announced their results in Nature with an extensive list of stars that have either had, or will later have, the required orientation to discover our planet. Using a time range from 5,000 years ago (a period when civilizations on Earth first began to sprout) to 5,000 years into the future, the duo identified over 2,000 stars.

Not only does their study provide a resource to exoplanet hunters by highlighting which stars they can pay attention to, but it also reminds about our unique—and a bit unsettling—visibility to the rest of the universe. "I felt spied on a little bit," Faherty told WIRED, remembering the uncanny sensation of being overexposed. "Do I want to be on a planet that can be found?"

Do you? Who knows, maybe Out of Context Human Race aren't the only ones watching us.

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#8

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Michelle M
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The seagulls used to work there but got fired. Now they hang around, stealing food from innocent customers and selling it to others. Can't blame them. Money is kinda tight

K Miller
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The sad part is, you just know some Karen tried to get a refund...

Id row
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I bet they get several people a day looking for free food because of that. It wouldn't even occur to me to ask them to replace something that got snatched by a bird when I was in possession of it. I might go in a buy another, but wouldn't expect them to be out of pocket for it.

Mazer
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live near San Francisco Bay, we can always tell who the new waiters are in outdoor dining decks over the water. They foolishly carry food filled trays above their one shoulder as they would if they were indoors. I have personally witnessed $30 steaks get snatched from a tray. Gulls are cunning, opportunist and very acrobatic flyers

RoseTheMad
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

where I live, you honestly do have to be careful and protective when eating outdoors thanks to the gulls. xD

Ryan Deschanel
Community Member
3 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Brighton? Sounds like the things that might happen in Brighton. The creepy ruined piers are nice, but f**k Brighton anyway. Brighton sucks.

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