Buzz
The core idea behind SETI is the belief that other intelligent beings must exist somewhere out there. Vostok / Getty ImagesTo begin with, SETI stands for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. This search involves utilizing large radio telescopes. By using these massive satellite dish-like instruments, SETI researchers aim to detect radio signals either emanating from advanced civilizations or intentionally directed at Earth by other intelligent species.
The fundamental assumptions behind SETI are based on three key facts:
- It is likely that other intelligent life forms exist in the universe. The Milky Way alone is home to billions of stars, and the universe has countless galaxies. If intelligent life can emerge in one place, it stands to reason that it can arise in many others as well.
- Any intelligent civilization would eventually discover radio waves and start emitting them into space. Humans, being an intelligent species, discovered radio waves early on and have been broadcasting them in large quantities for much of the 20th century. From AM and FM radio to TV signals and satellite transmissions, we constantly leak radio signals into space. Even something as simple as opening your garage door sends a signal!
- Any advanced civilization would likely suspect the existence of other intelligent life and may attempt to send powerful signals directly toward us. Humans have already done so in several different ways. If you can get a hold of Carl Sagan's book titled Murmurs of Earth, it provides an excellent introduction to our efforts, which range from radio signals to phonograph records attached to satellites.
If either of the first two assumptions is false, SETI would be a pointless endeavor. However, if both are true, it’s only a matter of time before we make a significant detection!
The challenge with SETI is that it demands enormous computational power. Imagine trying to listen to every possible frequency – radio, TV, radar, satellites, and even garage-door openers – all at once. The SETI method does narrow the scope, but it still monitors an extensive range of frequencies. The computer must then analyze each frequency and determine if it's carrying an intelligent signal or just noise.
To put this into perspective, the antenna used by SETI@home records 35 gigabytes of data daily. According to the SETI@home website, an average home computer requires about 30 hours to process one 'work unit,' and the 35 gigabytes of daily data are divided into 140,000 work units. That means processing just one day’s worth of data requires a total of 4.2 million hours of computation time!
Acquiring that level of computational power would be astronomically expensive, so SETI@home devised a brilliant solution to generate this computing power. When your computer is not in use, it typically displays a screensaver. In most cases, a screensaver is just a waste of computing resources. However, SETI@home created a screensaver that utilizes your computer's idle time to process SETI data. Once installed, the screensaver downloads a data packet containing a work unit, processes the radio signals, and returns the results. Instead of displaying fish or flying toasters, the screensaver shows the progress of the work being done.
If you’d like to contribute your computer's idle processing power to the SETI effort, you can join SETI@home! Just follow these three simple steps:
- Visit the SETI@home homepage and download the software. The file is only around 800 kilobytes, so the download will be quick.
- Install the software. It only takes about 30 seconds – it’s one of the easiest installations you’ll ever encounter!
- Join the Mytour group by visiting this link: http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/team_display.php?teamid=62
You’ll be astounded as you watch your computer work tirelessly to search for other intelligent life forms in the universe!
These links will help you explore further:
- SETI@home
- How SETI@home works – a detailed discussion
- Join the Mytour group! – after you’ve installed the software
- How SETI Works
- How Screensavers Work
- How Radio Works
