search for extraterrestrial intelligence
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Updated Formula on Alien Intelligence Suggests We Really Are Alone in the Galaxy
Astronomer Frank Drake formulated his influential equation in 1961 to estimate the number of civilizations in the Milky Way capable of communicating with us. Our understanding of planetary science has changed a lot since then, leading a team of scientists to propose a pair of important adjustments that produce an answer that could explain the…
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How the Color Purple Could Lead Us to Alien Life
In a little more than 30 years, we went from knowing only of the planets in our star system to discovering over 5,000 distant worlds spread across the cosmos. So far, none have looked quite like Earth. If an Earth-like planet was orbiting another star, however, it may look different than our precious pale blue…
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Aliens Could Be Trying to Get Our Attention Via Supernova-Timed Beacons
A recent SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) effort focused on a famous supernova from 1987, working under the premise that aliens might use such events to draw attention to themselves with synchronized beacons. Although this hunt came up short, it lays the groundwork for future searches using the same innovative strategy. This principle, called the…
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The Search for Alien Intelligence Just Scored a $200 Million Boost
The SETI Institute, a leading non-profit in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence in the U.S., has received a transformative $US200 million gift from the estate of Franklin Antonio, a long-time supporter who passed away last year. The recent $US200 million gift from Franklin Antonio’s estate, announced last week, will likely serve as a game-changer for…