NRAO/Socorro Colloquium Series

Seth Shostak

SETI Institute


New Approaches in the Search for Etraterrestrial Intelligence


A half-century ago, astronomers began trying to ‘eavesdrop” on radio messages from nearby star systems.  This was the start of SETI (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), a hi-tech and sensitive effort to find other sentient beings in the nearby realms of the galaxy.  The discovery of more than two thousand exoplanets (including many dozen that might be habitable) has provided new impetus for this search.

 

However, today, SETI researchers continue to point their telescopes at individual star systems, on the assumption that technically advanced societies will inhabit a watery world like our own.  We’ll describe these searches, but then ask a controversial question:

 

Are these familiar – and nearby – star systems the only (or even the best) places to look for signals?  What new ideas could be brought to bear in our pursuit of  cosmic company, and why is it possible that we might find evidence of sophisticated intelligence out there within only a few decades?



February 10, 2012
11:00 am

Array Operations Center Auditorium

All NRAO employees are invited to attend via video, available in Charlottesville Room 230, Green Bank Room 137 and Tucson N525.

Local Host: Dale Frail