You've all heard of SETI--the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. The foundation that uses volunteers to scan data from space in hopes of detecting radio signals from intelligent aliens. Actually, what they really use is the volunteer's computer. SETI@home uses spare processing power on the participant's computer to analyze the data.
Now SETI has a new program where they send live waterfall signals to volunteers who then use their own brain processing power to distinguish between regular space "noise" and alien signals. SETILive.
Why is SETILive better than SETI@home? As the name implies, with SETILive the viewer is filtering live feeds instead of the computer scanning data that could be months old.
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| Image from SETILive (www.setilive.org) |
Last time they found a signal that looked like it was from ET, by they time they noticed it and set their instruments on it, it had vanished. With SETILive, they could zoom in immediately.
Who knows? Maybe the first contact with intelligent alien life could take place in your own home.
Which gives me a good idea for a couples Halloween costume: an alien, and the science geek who discovered it!
See www.setilive.org or www.setiathome.berkeley.edu for more information.
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there's definitely something out there, but I don't think we'll ever find it...and I don't think aliens are as obsessed with Earth as some people believe.
ReplyDeleteHa ha! Love the costume idea!
ReplyDeleteAt least we're trying to 'reach out'. I prefer to think the recipients will not be militaristic, but history tells us otherwise. So SETI may give us some advance notice, unless 'they' have parsec jumping ability. . .
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed this post.
I might have to steal that costume idea :)
ReplyDeleteOh, now that would be scary and exciting! I don't think I could do it. I see a shadow move in my room at night and I freak. Hearing alien life would probably put me over the edge. LOL
ReplyDeleteThis is so cool. Whenever I think of SETI, I think of the movie contact, which I loved. It was so well done and managed to pose great questions.
ReplyDeleteWhaaa?? It sounds like you're volunteering your computer to SETI for all their extra-terrestrial needs :) You can't say no to that!
ReplyDeleteI'm not volunteering MY computer! I'm just saying if anyone else wants to, here's the cool info! :)
DeleteHow cool is that! When we lived in Puerto Rico we visited the observatory in Arecibo where Contact was filmed.
ReplyDeleteI know there has to be "someone" else out there. I just hope humans dont' discover a new civilization and destroy it a la Avatar or the conquest of the Americas :-)