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Letter: Speculations on the science of aliens (2)

Published 15 April 2026

From Michael Allen, Ottawa, Canada

A thought arising from Daniel Whiteson’s article “Would aliens do physics?” is that aliens with “eyes” different from ours might have different ideas about the aftermath of the big bang. If they could perceive longer, infrared wavelengths of light, what we call the cosmic dark ages wouldn’t be dark at all. It would be a transition from a blindingly bright fog to a gentle glow. Perhaps this would alter their perception of the universe’s history. Also, a James Webb equivalent might be the first telescope they built.

Issue no. 3591 published 18 April 2026

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