SETI@home is a scientific experiment that uses Internet-connected computers in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). I’ve been running the SETI@home client on one of my computers at home for some years now. The team behind the experiment are on a fund-rasing drive at the moment. This morning, I received an email signed by Dan Werthimer (the Chief Scientist of SETI@home) and Arthur C. Clarke. An extract:
SETI@home needs your help. The SETI@home team has accomplished much in the past 6 months. We have successfully deployed the "enhanced" version of SETI@home. The new seven beam data recorder has been installed at Arecibo (the world’s largest radio telescope) and is recording the data that will be analyzed in the next phase of SETI@home.But there is still far more to be done. We would like to be able to sift through the results returned by your computers in order to identify candidates more rapidly so we can re-observe them. This rapid response validation system would also give you the ability to see the results your computers have/has returned in more detail. To keep SETI@home operating for the next year, and to provide these new capabilities, will require approximately $540,000. Currently SETI@home is entirely funded by donations from people like you.
If you’d like to help (either by running the client on your own computer to help analyse the data, or by donating), then go to the SETI@home site to learn more.
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