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New electrical test could help spot signs of alien life
Researchers tried the technique on samples from Chile's Atacama Desert, and a compact version could one day fly on space missions; so far, only Earth has replied.
On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on BBN OvernightPublished
At a glance
- First reported by ScienceAlert: “New Electrical Test Can Help Identify Signs of Extraterrestrial Life in Space”.
- Covered on BBN on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 12:16 AM ET on BBN Overnight, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.
The real story
The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.
What BBN said about it
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentA new electrical test could help scientists look for signs of life in space, and it has already been tried on soil from the Atacama Desert in Chile.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo the dirt said hello, and we have the receipt.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThe dirt said nothing.
From the archive: everything BBN aired on Friday, October 16, 2026 · the Tech archive · all months
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