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In 1977, astronomers detected a remarkable radio signal from deep space—now famously known as the “Wow! signal.” Captured by the Big Ear radio telescope at Ohio State University, the signal was a strong, narrowband emission near 1420 MHz, the frequency of neutral hydrogen and a prime target in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). Astronomer Jerry Ehman, struck by its unusual intensity, circled the alphanumeric sequence “6EQUJ5” on the printout and wrote “Wow!” in the margin. Lasting exactly 72 seconds, the signal appeared to come from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius and has never been detected again. To this day, the Wow! signal remains unexplained, continuing to captivate scientists and astronomers.