While watching the bonus materials that came with my Blu-ray movie “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” I was reminded of a unique program that anyone with a computer and internet access can participate in.SETI, the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence, wants your help in discovering life “out there.”
SETI utilizes many approaches in its attempt to detect intelligent life in the universe. One approach is “radio SETI,” which uses radio telescopes to detect narrow-band radio signals from space. Based at the University of California at Berkeley, SETI initiated an effort ten years ago called SETI@Home that uses a free program to download and analyze radio telescope data.
They have their own computers, but the problem is that in order to cover more radio bands and expand the search area, enormous amounts of computer power are needed. That’s where private home computers come in – three million of them so far, comprising the world’s largest computing effort in history.
If you’ve got a fairly new computer, your share of the work will consist of around two hours a week. The program will automatically send your reports to SETI, and your reports will be posted on the SETI@Home website, with no personal or identifying information revealed to anyone else.
Interested in becoming an amateur astrophysicist? Go to setiathome.berkeley.edu. They’ll help you get set up and give you step-by-step instructions.
Because … the truth IS out there. This is neat stuff.
1 comment:
VERY cool! Thanks for the tip! I can't wait to make contact .. :)
Post a Comment