In his recent book, The Talk of the Galaxy, Dr. Paul LaViolette shows how new high-resolution recordings of pulsar signals reveal features that are inconsistent with the long-standing “neutron star lighthouse” pulsar model.

LaViolette argues compellingly that the interesting and quite intricate behaviors of pulsars fit much more easily with a model of an extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) beacon carrying information.

For example, pulse transmissions may be interrupted for seconds or hours. When resumed, varying parameters continue from where they had left off; and pulse periods grow at a uniform rate (as though spinning pulsar is slowing down), but occasionally the period abruptly changes to a smaller value (pulsar instantaneously assumes a higher rotation rate?) and the sequence continues from there.

He explains that ETI might be using a nearly-collimated beam of synchrotron radiation , applying technology that we actually are developing today. This dramatically offsets the effect of distance on the detectability of a beacon over interstellar distances.