Was the WOW! Signal a Sign of Extraterrestrial Life? With Dr. Robert Dixon

Was the WOW! Signal a Sign of Extraterrestrial Life? With Dr. Robert Dixon

Author: John Michael Godier May 27, 2026 Duration: 19:38

An exploration of the Wow! Signal, picked up at the Big Ear radio telescope in 1977. This signal remains unexplained to this day, and represents the best candidate we've ever detected of a signal of intelligent alien origin.Dr. Robert Dixon directed the Ohio State SETI program at the Big Ear Radio Telescope from 1973 to 1997, which was the world's first full-time search for signs of extraterrestrial life from radio signals using a large radio telescope. In 1977 he was one of the first people to be shown the Wow! Signal by discoverer Jerry Ehman.The Wow! Signal with Discoverer Dr. Jerry Ehmanhttps://youtu.be/x67K-Vq1KWkThe Mystery of the Wow! Signalhttps://youtu.be/aseyBWZa3pYThe Big Ear Wow! Signal (30th Anniversary Report)http://www.bigear.org/Wow30th/wow30th.htmSETI in the 1970shttp://www.bigear.org/oldseti.htmThe Elusive Wow: Searching for Extraterrestrial IntelligenceRobert H. Grayhttps://amzn.to/2S3GWn3Supermind by John Michael Godierhttps://amzn.to/38RSYpwPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/EventHorizonShowWebsite: https://www.eventhorizonshow.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmgeventhorizonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmgeventhorizon/Music featured on Event Horizonhttps://stellardrone.bandcamp.com/https://migueljohnson.bandcamp.com/https://leerosevere.bandcamp.com/https://aeriumambient.bandcamp.com/FOOTAGE:NASAESA/HubbleESO - M.KornmesserESO - L.CalcadaESO - Jose Francisco Salgado (josefrancisco.org)NAOJUniversity of WarwickGoddard Visualization StudioLangley Research CenterBig Ear Radio Telescope bigear.orgPixabay


Curiosity about the cosmos often starts with a simple question, and that's where John Michael Godier's Event Horizon finds its rhythm. Hosted by author and futurist John Michael Godier, this podcast delves into the profound and the perplexing at the edges of our understanding. Each episode builds a narrative, weaving together discussions on astronomy, astrophysics, and the latest space science news with broader themes of technology, history, and futurism. The conversations are grounded by special guests who bring expertise and diverse perspectives, turning complex ideas into engaging explorations. You'll find the dialogue moves from the concrete details of scientific discovery to the speculative implications for our future, all with a thoughtful and accessible tone. This isn't just a recap of headlines; it's a deep dive into the context and consequences of what we're learning about the universe. For anyone who looks up at the night sky and wonders about black holes, the potential for life elsewhere, or where our technology might take us next, this podcast offers a compelling space to linger on those big ideas. The production emphasizes clarity and depth, making even the most daunting topics feel within reach. Tune in for a regular journey to the frontiers of science and human thought.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

John Michael Godier's Event Horizon
Podcast Episodes
Is There One Rule for Our Universe? with Jonathan Gorard [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:33
What is the Theory of Everything?Stephen Wolfram recently announced the Wolfram Physics project, a way to find the fundamental theory of physics. Is it a theory of everything? And how does it describe General Relativity…
Life on Venus? Phosphine found in the Clouds Featuring R.J. Graham [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:04
A team of Astronomers from Cardiff University and MIT announced today the discovery of finding a rare molecule, phosphine, in the clouds of Venus. Here on Earth, Phosphine is usually only found to be made by microbes tha…
Looking for Technosignatures on the Moon with Dr. James Benford [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:35
Proxima Centauri is a small, low-mass star located 4.2465 light-years away from the Sun in the southern constellation of Centaurus. Last month there was the announcement of BLC1, a possible SETI candidate signal spatiall…
The Arecibo Radio Telescope with Prof. Abel Mendez [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:59
Discussing the recent collapse of the main instrument of the Arecibo Radio Telescope and its overall history as a scientific instrument in radio astronomy, and SETI with Dr. Abel Mendez.Links:https://twitter.com/ProfAbel…
Planet Nine and Alien Life with Parallax Nick [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:37
The search for the mysterious planet nine continues as Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin get closer to finding it. What would planet 9 be like and where in the solar system could it be? Also, what would alien life look l…
Can Humans Travel Through Wormholes? with Prof. Juan Maldacena [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:55
Humanly traversable wormholes is a new paper by Juan Maldacena and Alexey Milekhin that points out that there can be humanly traversable wormhole solutions in some previously considered theories for physics beyond the St…
Our Spooky Universe with Paul Sutter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:44
The Most Unsettling Things in our Universe are all real and part of the dangers of outer space. Can you survive crossing the event horizon of a black hole? Or will spaghettification get you? How to Die in Space: A Journe…
Is It Possible to Build a Time Machine? With Paul Davies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:46
Time travel is one of sci-fi’s favorite tools. But is it possible to build a real time machine? Could you travel into the future or the past? Paul Davies joins John Michael Godlier to discuss the possibilities of time tr…