From: als@usenet.thangorodrim.de   
      
   Micky  wrote:   
   > I was reading somewhere that they made the first light antenna. I suppose   
   > that would make it 100's of times quicker than radio signals.?   
   > I know we have 100's of antenna's looking for readio signals from other   
   > planets but do we have any looking for this type of signal already.   
   > What if Aliens only ever used this type of signal or a simular type for   
   > communication, has it   
   > ever been tested for.?   
   > If I were an intelligent being surely it would make sense using a technology   
   > that is the speed of light rather than radio.   
      
   Radio waves _are_ travelling at the speed of light.   
      
   A much more likely reason for using light in deep space communications   
   would be using lasers for the extremly tight beam that lasers allow,   
   which would enhance transmission privacy (anybody wanting to listen in   
   must be close enough to the laser beam to intercept parts of it (not   
   everything, since that would be noticed) and one might be able to cross   
   larger distances with less power (depends of how power efficient   
   communication lasers might be compared to radio), although you need to   
   able to do _very_ precise targetting. Oh, and things like dust or rocks   
   between you and your communication partner will be _really_ annoying.   
      
   Regards,   
         Alex.   
   --   
   "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and   
    looks like work."                                      -- Thomas A. Edison   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)