SETI

[naomi24]

Watching Stargazing Live tonight, they were talking about SETI. I'm sure I remember funding being withdrawn from SETI a few years ago, and it being closed down. I think we discussed it here - but it seems it's up and running which is very good news to me.

Am I mistaken, and if not, does anyone know why the change of heart?

[Zacs-Master]

Still alive and kicking
http://www.seti.org/

[sandyRoe]

I believe it continues funded by donations.

[naomi24]

So government funding was withdrawn, Sandy?

[EDDIE51]

It now uses ordinary home computers when they are not being used by the owner. See link
http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/
You can sign up to allow use of your computer while you are not using it, they connect to your home PC when it is not in use.
Cost is less than 5% of what it cost before so the University of Berkley Calfornia can fund it themselfes.

[sandyRoe]

Perhaps 'I think...' rather than 'I believe...' might be more appropriate. :-) ^^^

[naomi24]

Ah, thanks Eddie. I thought I was going potty for a moment there. :o)

[jason.p]

Yes, I'ts still running. I've been running the "seti@home" project as a screensaver for around ten years. They do ask for donations from time to time.

[jomifl]

Sandy..if you thought you wouldn't believe, but you do believe so... :-)

[sandyRoe]

I believe I need to be extra careful with the words I choose here in AB. Today an ironically mordant post, described as 'brilliant' by another poster, was censored. I've thought long and hard before coming to believe.

[Zacs-Master]

I believe you are right to think that. But I don't think you are right to believe it.



Or is that the other way round?

[sandyRoe]

Thinking...believing. A linguistic minefield I've wandered into here.
I think, therefore I am
I'm pink, therefore I'm Spam
Can't be right, can it?

[jomifl]

God knows, Sandy..

[sandyRoe]

Jomifl, that's a simple statement, but at the same time one of the most moving confessions of faith I've ever heard or seen.
I knew my work here in the stony fields of R&S would eventually show results.
Hallelujah !!!

[naomi24]

So will SETI ever be successful? Brian Cox and Stephen Hawking are in no doubt that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe, and I agree with them. In fact I suspect that other civilisations, which could have had a several billion year start on us, and whose stars may be long gone, have already searched for and found other planets in the all important Goldilocks Zones - and investigated ours thousands of years ago.

[sandyRoe]

Maybe they already have been successful.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wow!_signal

[Hopkirk]

Unless they have broken the speed of light problem, they will only see dinosaurs if they look at earth.

[naomi24]

Sandy, maybe they have. There's still no explanation for that.

Incidentally, if you're looking for God, that's where you're likely to find him .... in my opinion.