Are you satisfied that we are all alone in the universe? I am not so sure. Many of us are not so sure. The SETI Institute is the best hope that we have for answering the questions about what – or who – might be “out there”.
And right now the SETI Institute needs our help.
The SETI Mission Statement
“The mission of the SETI Institute is to explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe.
We believe we are conducting the most profound search in human history — to know our beginnings and our place among the stars.
The SETI Institute is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to scientific research, education and public outreach. [The SETI Institute receives no public taxpayer dollars.]
The Institute comprises 3 centers, the Center for SETI Research, the Carl Sagan Center for the Study of Life in the Universe and the Center for Education and Public Outreach.
Founded in November 1984, the SETI Institute began operations on February 1, 1985. Today it employs over 150 scientists, educators and support staff. Research at the Institute is anchored by two centers. Dr. Jill Tarter leads the Center for SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Research as Bernard M. Oliver Chair for SETI. Dr. David Morrison is the Director for the Carl Sagan Center for the Study of Life in the Universe. Edna DeVore leads our Center for Education and Public Outreach.”3
Here is a video presented to us by The SETI Institute
The Allen Telescope Array
“he Allen Telescope Array is a joint effort between The SETI Institute and University of California at Berkeley. The array is currently under construction in Hat Creek, 300 miles north-east of San Francisco. The remote location ensures that interference from man-made radio sources is minimal.
The Allen Telescope Array (ATA), when finished, will consist of 350 six meter dishes covering the frequency range of 0.5-11 GHz instantaneously, and will be the first instrument dedicated to Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. ”
The Allen Telescope Array is a superb scientific machine, with the single purpose of finding evidence of like in and on other worlds.
Federal and state funding cutbacks for operations of U.C. Berkeley’s Hat Creek Radio Observatory (HCRO) force hibernation of Allen Telescope Array – In an April 22, 2011 email (PDF) to Allen Telescope Array stakeholder level donors, SETI Institute CEO Tom Pierson described in detail the recent decision by U.C. Berkeley, our partner in the Array, to reduce operations of the Hat Creek Radio Observatory (and thus the Allen Telescope Array) to a hibernation state effective this month. NSF University Radio Observatory funding to Berkeley for HCRO operations has been reduced to approximately one-tenth of its former level and, concurrently, growing State of California budget shortfalls have severely reduced the amount of state funds available for support of the HCRO site.
What next for the ATA? – The SETI Institute is working on numerous efforts to insure the Array comes back on line as soon as possible. Pierson’s email outlines potential work the ATA may be performing for the United States Air Force. Donor support is also needed to restart SETI observations on the Array. For the first time in history, SETI researchers are poised to use the ATA to examine the bounty of smaller planetary systems starting to be revealed by NASA’s Kepler Mission. We are also working with a consortium of big thinkers to develop exciting opportunities for the public to participate in the future of SETI, making the science much less vulnerable to government budget cycles. Watch for these future developments in the realm of our citizen science. In the interim, if you haven’t already done so, check out the early results of these efforts at setiQuest.org and setiQuest Explorer.
Public help is needed – Donate now – Help return the ATA to operations and support the exciting SETI exploration of the Kepler planets over the next two years. ”
The SETI Institute will gratefully accept your donations.
Please take note, The SETI@home project running on BOINC software is a separate and distinct entity which continues to function.
You can visit BOINC, download the application, attach to SETI@home, and donate your unused CPU cycles to this effort.
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