Could we find alien technology embedded in moon dust?

The bold idea, not yet peer-reviewed, suggests checking out the lunar surface for "microscopic technosignatures." The SETI Institute — or the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute — describes these technosignatures as "tiny engineered particles" that may have come from interstellar space before settling on the moon.

The institute recently highlighted a paper on the topic, published on arxiv in August, and added the research is undergoing peer review for consideration in the International Journal of Astrobiology. The study is led by SETI Institute Affiliate Scientist Lewis Pinault.

"The moon has been quietly accumulating material from space for billions of years, much of it likely billions of years older than the moon itself," said Pinault in a statement. "We're asking whether that ancient collection might contain microscopic traces of technologies that existed long before humans ever looked up at the sky."

Even if no aliens turn out to be there, the search could help advance models of how dust goes through interstellar space, as well as effects on lunar geology or impact science, the institute added.

"The study reports no evidence of extraterrestrial technology," the institute added in the statement. "Instead, it demonstrates that searching for these microscopic technosignatures is now scientifically testable."

That's in large part because the NASA-led Artemis program, which will ultimately bring astronauts to the moon, as well as China's Chang'e robotic series, would provide opportunities to return samples, the institute said. (China is also eyeing bringing its taikonauts to the moon by 2030.)

SETI is best known for looking for artificial radio signatures in space that may have come from extraterrestrials. This new study, the institute added, is focusing more on past alien communities that may have preserved their knowledge in "durable particles," even if the communities are no longer in existence.

The study examines how these particles could (in theory) move from star to star, stay viable over long distances and periods, embed themselves in the lunar surface and then — if humans could find them — use AI-assisted imaging, materials analysis and microscopy to take a closer look, among other techniques.

Helping in that search is the environment of the moon itself, which — compared with Earth, at least — has slow-moving geology. As the institute points out, the surface has no flowing water or substantial atmosphere like our planet does. What's more, the moon has picked up dust in its environment for about four billion years (from not long after the solar system was formed 4.5 billion years ago), presenting a potential archive of dust in the solar system and interstellar space.

"The researchers argue that if advanced civilizations produce durable microscopic debris — whether intentionally or as a byproduct of space exploration or large-scale engineering — a tiny fraction of those particles could eventually become embedded in the lunar regolith," the institute stated.

The goal is to start these studies with about 35 cubic feet (one cubic meter) of lunar regolith, which is maybe the equivalent size of a fridge. Researchers would try out a series of careful investigations using multiple tools to "begin placing meaningful limits on the amount of durable artificial material produced by technological civilizations over the history of the Milky Way."

And as mentioned, even if this small sample doesn't turn up technosignatures, the researchers say the work is still important. It's another way to search for "extraterrestrial artifacts," to look at various aspects of solar system science, and to try out newer tools for examining moon samples that weren't available in the Apollo years.

"This is a novel addition to the search methodologies applied to seeking evidence of technology as a proxy for life and intelligence beyond our solar system and we are excited at the prospect of bringing this to fruition," stated Bill Diamond, SETI Institute president and CEO.

Whatever they are and from where, UFOs, now known as Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena or UAP, are the subject of serious scrutiny at the highest levels of the U.S. government.

In June 2026, the White House established a new UAP Science Advisory Council in coordination with the Pentagon's All Domain Anomaly Resolution Office, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the FBI Deep diving into the UAP landscape is Avi Loeb, noted Harvard astrophysicist. He is also director of the Galileo Project at Harvard, which aims to search for signs of extraterrestrial activity here on Earth. As the council chair, Loeb said the goal of this group is to advise the U.S. government on how to resolve the nature of UAP.

Members of the UAP Science Advisory Council recently gathered at a private meeting, held on Aug. 31 at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Loeb told Space.com. "I cannot disclose the contents but I will say that the U.S. government is sincere in its efforts to understand UAP based on the scientific method of data collection," Loeb said.

Council membership

One of the council's members is Ben Lamm, co-founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences. As a serial technology entrepreneur, he's no stranger to diving into complex challenges. Colossal is advancing the use of genome editing technology to "de-extinct" previously lost species such as the Wooly Mammoth.

Working along with the council's group of scientists and experts, Lamm is bullish about bringing clarity to a long-standing investigation and wonder of UAP.

"I've been fascinated by this topic for a long time, so having the opportunity to help examine the evidence firsthand and contribute to a serious scientific effort is incredibly exciting," Lamm told Space.com.

"Our mission is straightforward," Lamm added. "This is not about belief, it is about evidence. We want to apply rigorous scientific methods to both historical UAP records and new observations, collecting and analyzing data that meets today's scientific standards," he said.

Lamm said that the expectation is to bring transparency and accountability to the field by objectively evaluating credible evidence and sharing findings openly with the scientific community and the public.

"It's time to search for answers around the science because they could reshape our understanding of the world and, potentially, become one of the most significant discoveries in human history," said Lamm.

New polling data

Meanwhile, and serving as a backdrop to studying UAP, is a new Gallup poll, conducted in July. That poll found that about half of Americans, 49 percent, think all Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) sightings can be explained by human activity on Earth or natural phenomena.

The poll also found 37 percent believe at least some UFOs have been alien spacecraft visiting Earth from other planets or galaxies while another 13 percent do not have an opinion.

Interestingly, rather than becoming increasingly convinced that some sightings have been alien spacecraft, the percentage of Americans who are unsure has grown, from 7% in 2019 to 13% in 2026 the Gallup poll found.

The new poll also notes that a majority say the U.S. government is withholding UFO information. Seventy-eight percent of Americans say the U.S. government knows more about UFOs than it is telling the public, higher than the 68 percent and 71 percent who said so in 2019 and 1996, respectively.

These findings come as the Department of War continues to release a mix of UFO files under a President Donald Trump executive order.

In August 2026, the UAP Science Advisory Council announced their support for the Trump administration to provide legal assurances, including immunity where necessary, for current or former government employees and military personnel to share information with the council "regarding alleged technology from a non-human origin and help guide the council's scientific evaluation."