Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures

Our Boldest Effort to Answer our Oldest Question: Breakthrough-Listen Search for Intelligent Life

February 19, 2023 Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures Season 23 Episode 3
Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures
Our Boldest Effort to Answer our Oldest Question: Breakthrough-Listen Search for Intelligent Life
Show Notes

For centuries, humans have gazed at the night sky and wondered if any intelligent life forms like us might be out there.  In 2015, the Breakthrough Foundation gave a $100 million grant to the University of California at Berkeley to undertake the most comprehensive search for signals from an extra-terrestrial civilization. Dr. Steve Croft, of the University of California, Berkeley, SETI Center,  describes the project, introduces the many radio telescopes around the world it is using in the search, and explains how modern technology, including AI, is being used to  include more stars, more frequencies (channels) and more ways a signal might be sent.