SETI in a spot of bother

[chrisc (Chris)]

Hi everyone,

Sorry to prosetylise for a cause, but given it's a non-profit and important research project...

The SETI Institute's Allen Telescope Array (ATA) is effectively being shut down due to withdrawal of both federal and state funding for its ongoing running costs (about $2M USD per annum) and they're currently trying to figure out how to get around the problem.

One obvious solution is to raise more money from donations... so if you feel the ongoing co-ordinated search for astronomers on other planets is worthwhile, pop over to their website and toss them some money:

http://www.seti.org/


Cheers,
Chris

[TrevorW]

This may sound cynical but for the life of me what good has SETI done it's been operating a long time for no return, so far it's been a total waste of money IMO

instead of trying to find life out there, just let it happen in due course, if it exists which I hope it does but in the meantime this money could be better spent aiding those in need of it

[Liz]

Ooh Trevor, didnt you watch 'Contact'?

Thats a real shame if it happens ... the Universe is so MASSIVE that every little attempt of a received signal is good.

[TrevorW]

Founded in November 1984, the SETI Institute began operations on February 1, 1985.

26 years later at a cost of $100 million employing 150 staff over 3 centres and as the Russians would say "net" to show for it

no I think it's had it's run, what another 26 years at a $200 million cost and still nothing

I watched "Contact" and every other science fiction story where we made alien contact and unfortunately not all of them have a happy ending