© 2020 New Atlas

SETI

  • An illustration of Hippocamp, a newly-discovered moon of Neptune
    Space
    Say hello to Hippocamp, Neptune's newest moon
    Neptune's collection of moons has officially grown to 14. Originally discovered in 2013 and designated S/2004 N 1, this tiny world is described more accurately in a new paper, which also gives it an origin story and, finally, a catchier name. Say hello to Hippocamp.
  • Artist's concept of 'Oumuamua
    Space
    SETI confirms that 'Oumuamua isn't signalling us
    After a year of analysis, the SETI Institute has concluded that 'Oumuamua, the first interstellar object known to have visited our Solar System, isn't trying to make radio contact with us.
  • An MIT study proposes building a laser lighthouse to signal to alien astronomers up to 20,000 light-years away – but is that such a good idea?
    Space
    Could we – and should we – build a laser lighthouse to make first contact with aliens?
    Whether there’s life beyond Earth is one of the most profound questions we can ask. Making ourselves easier to find could be part of our first contact strategy. A new MIT study outlines a way to use existing or near-future tech to build a kind of laser lighthouse to signal to our cosmic neighbors.
  • `Oumuamua is the first observed interstellar object to enter the Solar System
    Space
    It looks like `Oumuamua is just a big rock after all
    It looks as if the first interstellar asteroid may be just a big rock after all. The SETI initiative Breakthrough Listen announced that preliminary observations of `Oumuamua (A/2017 U1) show no sign that the 400 m (1,300 ft) long object is other than natural with no radio transmissions detected.
  • A musical message has been beamed to a potentially-habitable exoplanet nearby, in an attempt to make first contact
    Space
    Anybody out there? Musical message beamed to potentially-habitable exoplanet
    While SETI is content to scan the skies for signals, Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence (METI) takes a more active approach. Radio transmissions containing snippets of music have been sent to a potentially-habitable planet about 12 light-years from Earth, in hopes of making first contact.
  • The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, which recently picked up strange signals seemingly originating with the red dwarf star, Ross 128
    Space
    ET not responsible for mystery stellar radio signals after all
    ​Back in May, the Arecibo Observatory detected strange radio signals coming from Ross 128, a red dwarf star 11 light-years away. After analyzing the data closely with the help of the SETI project, the team has now revealed what they believe to be the source of the signals.
  • The eVscope allows amateur astronomers to crowd source their observations
    Space
    Networked eVscope would crowd-source amateur astronomy
    The SETI Institute, in partnership with French startup Unistellar, wants to up the game for amateur astronomers by marketing a computerized 4.5-in (11.4 cm) reflecting telescope called the "eVscope" that acts as a crowd-sourcing instrument.
  • The signals from Ross 128 were picked up the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico
    Space
    Could mysterious radio signals be from ET?
    Is a mysterious radio signal received by the Arecibo Observatory a message from another civilization in our galaxy? Scientists at the Planetary Habitability Laboratory say it's highly unlikely, but the peculiar signals remain a mystery.
  • The goal of the Laser SETI program it to look for signs of extraterrestrial civilizations using lasers
    Space
    SETI project wants to hunt laser-wielding ETs
    The Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence (SETI) focuses mainly on looking for radio signals from civilizations elsewhere in the galaxy, but the SETI Institute is taking a new approach – and it involves lasers.
  • A bird's eye view of FAST
    Space
    Largest radio telescope on Earth switched on in China
    On Sunday the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced that the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST)​ has begun operations.
  • SETI's Allen Telescope Array (ATA) has been unable to find the signal picked up last year by the RATAN-600 radio telescope in Russia
    Space
    The aliens are from Earth
    ​A possible signal from ET turned out to be a false alarm as scientists confirm that a message seemingly from the stars came from Earth. Recent reports had suggested that a powerful radio signal might be a deliberate message, but an old Cold War military satellite is the culprit.