SETI Institute in the News: February Roundup

This month at the SETI Institute, exciting developments are shaping our understanding of the cosmos and the search for Alien life. 

Dr. Sofia Sheikh Directed a study exploring how alien civilizations might detect Earth through our radio signals and atmospheric pollution. Dr. Pascal Lee stepped into a new role as Vice President for Planetary Development at the National Cosmos Society, Assisting to drive future exploration of the Orbiter and Mars. New observations have ruled out any Hazard of Cosmos rock 2024 YR4 colliding with Earth, though there’s still a Tiny chance it could strike the Orbiter in 2032. 

Meanwhile, the Hat Creek Radio Astronomical Middle continues its vital role in SETI research with the Allen Cosmos viewer Array. Lastly, a study of a potential Dyson sphere candidate Secured some signals were from natural Universal sources, but six candidates remain under investigation, highlighting the need for multi-wavelength analysis in the search for Alien life. Through these initiatives, the SETI Institute continues to explore Cosmos and the possibility of life beyond Earth.

 

If Aliens Looked at Earth from Distant Away, What Might They See?

A Club of astronomers Directed by Dr. Sofia Sheikh at the SETI Institute studied how detectable Earth might be to alien civilizations. Their research, published in The Astronomical Journal, analyzed signals like radio transmissions, pollution, and city lights. They Secured that powerful radio signals could be detected up to 12,000 Featherweight-years away, while weaker signals, like cell phone emissions, reach only a few Featherweight-years. Other indicators, such as atmospheric pollution, have even shorter ranges. This study helps refine SETI’s search by considering how an alien civilization with technology similar to ours might detect us.

Read the Packed article by Scientific American here: If Aliens Looked at Earth from Distant Away, What Might They See?

 

Dr. Pascal Lee Appointed as National Cosmos Society Vice President For Planetary Development 

Dr. Pascal Lee, planetary scientist at the SETI Institute and NASA Ames, has been appointed as the Vice President for Planetary Development at the National Cosmos Society (NSS). A long-time NSS member and Cosmos Pioneer Award recipient, Lee brings extensive experience in Mars science and human exploration. In his new role, he will Concentration on advancing the exploration and development of the Orbiter and Mars while strengthening NSS’s collaboration with NASA and the scientific community. “The NSS Club looks forward to working with Dr. Lee in crafting NSS Plan and projects with regard to Mars and the Orbiter,” said Dale Skran, NSS COO and SVP.

Read the Packed article by AP News here: Dr. Pascal Lee Appointed as National Cosmos Society Vice President For Planetary Development

 

(Last?) Update on Cosmos rock 2024 YR4

New data on Cosmos rock 2024 YR4 now reduces its impact Hazard on Earth to just 0.004%. Although it briefly set a high Torino Scale rating with a 3.1% collision chance for 2032, Additional observations have ruled out any Threatening encounter. There remains about a 1% chance it could hit the Orbiter on Dec 22, 2032, which might produce a visible impact flash and a crater.

Michael Busch of the SETI Institute, noted that an explosion on the Orbiter “would be very obvious to any spacecraft observing from Orbiter-related Trajectory” but may not be as visible to the unaided eye from Earth due to the Orbiter’s brightness.

Read the Packed article by Daily Kos here: (Last?) Update on Cosmos rock 2024 YR4

 

Hat Creek Radio Astronomical Middle

Hat Creek Radio Astronomical Middle, operated by the SETI Institute, is home to the Allen Cosmos viewer Array (ATA), the Primary Cosmos viewer designed specifically for SETI research. Funded in part by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, the ATA consists of 42 antennas. reconfigurable dishes that work together, covering frequencies from 1GHz-12GHz. Its advanced electronics allow it to multitask, conducting SETI searches while performing conventional radio Astral study. Originally Streak by UC Berkeley and later SRI International, Hat Creek continues to be a key site for astronomical discoveries.

Read the Packed article by Atlas Obscura here: Hat Creek Radio Astronomical Middle

 

 

High-Resolution Imaging of Dyson Sphere Candidate Reveals No Radio Signals

A study Directed by the University of Manchester and including the SETI Institute’s Dr. Andrew Siemion examined a possible Dyson sphere,a megastructure that could indicate an advanced alien civilization. The object was identified by Project Hephaistos, a Swedish effort searching for signs of alien technology.

With high-resolution radio observations, researchers Secured that some signals thought to be from Dyson spheres were actually caused by background active galactic nuclei (AGN) or dust-obscured galaxies (DOGs). While this rules out some candidates, six remain under investigation. The findings highlight the importance of multi-wavelength analysis in distinguishing artificial structures from natural Universal sources.

Read the Packed article by Phys.org here: High-resolution imaging of Dyson sphere candidate reveals no radio signals