The traditional method of searching for extraterrestrial signals in space is through radio astronomy, the method that’s used at the SETI Institute’s Allen Telescope Array (ATA), among other sites. New methods are being explored now, optical SETI is an example, and the SETI Institute is developing its Laser SETI program to search the sky for laser flashes generated by extraterrestrial intelligence. SETI Institute scientist Margaret Turnbull comments to SyfyWire:
"I'm anxious to see the SETI search become more methodical in conducting and publishing well-designed search programs,” she says.
If we detect something, Turnbull says it will answer questions about how aliens communicate with each other. She says we should look at animals on Earth — "especially in collective 'hive' minds" and that we should look out for senses that some animals have that humans lack, as well as the nature of memory.
"To me, all of this hints at how limited we are in the way we look at the universe, and pondering this deeply could help us think about ways to broaden our search for intelligence elsewhere," she says. (SyFyWire)
Edna DeVore, who is a SETI Institute Fellow and Director of Education was named Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). AAAS awarded this fellowship in recognition of Edna’s contributions to astronomy education and to the professional communities working to increase appreciation for and understanding of the universe. Congratulations Edna!
- SETI.org: SETI Institute Fellow, Edna DeVore, Named Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Philanthropy News Digest: AAAS Names 2017 Cohort of Science Fellows
Frontierworlds.seti.org is a campaign inviting the general public to participate in giving a nickname to New Horizons’ next flyby target, MU69. The campaign on November 6 and closed on December 6. More than 115,000 people participated in the campaign, with more than 34,000 nominees. The Frontier Worlds campaign is being led by my Mark Showalter, a SETI Institute Fellow, Senior Research Scientist and member of the New Horizons science team. NASA and the New Horizons team will announce a selection for MU69’s nickname in early 2018.
- SETI.org: There’s Still Time to Help Name New Horizons’ Next Flyby Target
- SETI.org: Do You Have the Perfect Nickname for New Horizons’ Next Flyby Target?
- SpaceRef: Let’s Name MU69 After One of Earth’s Greatest Challenges
SETI Institute is a world-class center of scientific research. But that’s not all we do. In addition to the Carl Sagan Center for Research, our Center for Education and Center for Outreach work to share knowledge and learning with all humanity. The Center for Education promotes STEM education that teaches and excites children, young adults and educators, while the Center for Outreach engages with the general public through a variety of digital, print and in-person initiatives. This newly expanded activity report covers all work of the SETI Institute to provide a more holistic overview of the impact of our work.
Download the whole October 2017 activity report.
Last week’s encore presentation of Time Travel Agents wonders whether time travel could ever be possible. This week, Air Apparent delves into smells and it impacts our experience of the world and even our survival.
Last week featured our SETI Talks lecture series: Kepler, K2 and Beyond, including SETI Institute’s Jeff Coughlin and Geert Barentsen of BAER Institute and NASA Ames.
All past Facebook Live videos can be seen on the SETI Institute’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SETIInstitute/videos.
- Astronomy Society of the Pacific: December 5-8, St. Louis, MO Pamela Harman will speak.
- American Geophysical Union: December 11-15, New Orleans, LA SETI Institute Scientist Matt Tiscareno will present research on the planetary rings of Saturn and the Cassini mission. Other SETI Institute scientists participating will include Nathalie Cabrol, Franck Marchis, and Pamela Harman.
- American Astronomical Society: January 8-12, Washington, DC SETI Institute scientists and staff will participate.
- Consumer Electronics Show: January 9-12, Las Vegas, NV Franck Marchis will participate
