A team of scientists looking for signs of extraterrestrial life is investigating mysterious signal spikes emitting from a star that is 6.3 billion years old.
A collision between two spiral galaxies located in the constellation of Hercules. Photo: AFP
America's Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) said the unusual radio signal was originally detected 95 light years away from Earth, in the constellation Hercules.
A senior astronomer from the unit's Californian team, Seth Shostak, said it was first discovered in Russia last year, but had only just come to light.
He told Morning Report the signal sounded like white noise and, although their study of the area last night found nothing, they would continue looking.
He remained sceptical that the discovery was evidence of extraterrestrial life.
"So far no dice, but on the other hand that doesn't mean that the signal's not there" - Seth Shostak