The SETI Observer

Greeting from Tom Pierson, CEO

Forging ahead
Those of us who conduct SETI and Life in the Universe science are in it for the long haul. We know it may take multiple generations and research project lifetimes to reach definitive answers, so we know the path of space exploration is long. On February 1, we were sadly reminded that it is also difficult.

The loss of the shuttle Columbia has left the nation stunned, saddened, and fiercely determined to forge onward in our quest to understand the cosmos and our place therein.

Many eloquent voices have tackled some very tough questions about space science--anyone who reads the newspaper or watches television is well aware of the issues at hand. But I also wonder, who among us has not also paused to consider just what it means to explore space?

In all the daily news updates and weekend op-eds, certain fundamental answers to this question emerge: stretching the boundary of human knowledge; reaching boldly for the unknown; embarking upon a quest that requires intellectual rigor, passion, teamwork and commitment.

Even in grief for the men and women who’ve lost their lives, we know that in this endeavor we particularly shine as human beings.

It is with this thought that I now invite you to follow the links in the SETI Observer.

Sincerely,

Thomas Pierson
CEO, SETI Institute

Dr. Jill Tarter has devoted her life to SETI, a field she describes as the branch of astrobiology that seeks habitable worlds through the deliberate actions of the inhabitants. Dr. Tarter is a study in focus plus determination, and an inspiration for both her current SETI colleagues and the next generation of visionary young men and women who reach for the stars. Read Voices: Jill Tarter

The Race to Find Life
While not all space enthusiasts are sports fans, almost everyone loves a good race. In a reprise of his 2002 SPACE.com article, Senior Astronomer Seth Shostak discusses the hot pursuit by scientists seeking life off Earth.

Be one of the first five to answer the following question correctly and get a cool SETI Institute t-shirt. We'll post the answer in next month's e-newsletter.

Pick the letter that does not correctly complete this sentence:
In Voices, Dr. Jill Tarter

1. states that SETI and Life in the Universe science ponder exactly the same question.
2. defines SETI as that branch of astrobiology that uses the deliberate actions of the inhabitants to detect habitable worlds.
3. discusses the extremely important role imagination plays in designing SETI radio searches.
4. explains that she became a radio astronomer in order to do SETI.

Send your answer to newsletter@seti.org.

In the last SETI Observer, we asked:

Dr. Christopher Chyba uses ____ to illustrate the arguments for both contingency and convergence as primary drivers behind evolution.

1. Opposable Thumbs
2. Wings
3. Pizza
4. Radio Telescopes

While a clear majority of you gave thumbs up to A, the correct answer was actually B.
Click here to hear Dr. Chyba discuss wings as an example of convergent evolution.