Shelley Wright is using the wide light-gathering power of Fresnel lenses, similar to those used in lighthouses, to search for alien laser signals.
In 2015, Sofia Sheikh was at loose ends. Her adviser at the University of California (UC), Berkeley, with whom she studied hot, giant exoplanets, had left for a new job. Browsing reddit, she saw a post about a lavishly funded new search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) and noticed that its leader was also at UC Berkeley: astrophysicist Andrew Siemion. She asked her former adviser for an introduction and met with Siemion when he was still unpacking boxes in a new office.
Quite a lot has been going on:
Across 10 Million Stars, Not a Single Whisper of Alien Technology
In a comprehensive search of a patch of the Southern sky, not even a hint of alien technology has been detected at low radio frequencies.
Across at least 10 million stars that populate the Vela region - the deepest and widest survey for extraterrestrial intelligence yet - the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) in Australia found none of the technosignatures that might be expected within its range.
However, astronomers Chenoa Tremblay and Steven Tingay from the Curtin University node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) say their results aren't disappointing at all.
Search for ETs among 10 million stars comes up empty | Space | EarthSky
Astronomers used a radio telescope in Australia to search for artificial radio signals among 10 million stars. The search came up empty. But, they say, that’s not bad news for those hoping to find intelligent extraterrestrials.
The peer-reviewed results were published in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia (PASA) on September 4, 2020.
The search was conducted by astronomers Chenoa Tremblay and Steven Tingay , from the Curtin University node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR). They used the Murchison Widefield Array ( MWA ) telescope in Western Australia to observe the sky around the Vela constellation. This patch of sky contains at least 10 million stars. The search was 100 times broader and deeper than any previously conducted before.
Alien hunters get a funding boost, and checking on the link between chromosome 'caps' and aging |
And as part of a special issue on the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project, Brandon Pierce , a professor in the Departments of Public Health Sciences and Human Genetics at the University of Chicago, joins Sarah to discuss his group's work on variation in the protective caps at the end of our chromosomes . The gradual shortening of these caps, also known as telomeres, has been associated with aging.
And here's another article:
NASA challenges companies to mine lunar soil – Spaceflight Now
NASA announced Thursday it plans to purchase lunar soil from a commercial company, an effort the agency’s top official said is intended to set a precedent for the transfer of ownership of extraterrestrial material and stimulate a market harvesting resources from bodies throughout the solar system.
The initiative is starting small, but NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said Thursday it could lead to companies being able to mine lunar soil for water ice, precious metals, and other resources.
Review: Four Intimate Screen Encounters (One From Far Away) - The New York Times
I say this so you understand that when I tell you that "Here We Are" snagged my attention and held it, I'm not overstating things. "Here We Are," a production of Theater for One, is made up of eight 10-minute microplays — all written by women of color — that pair a single actor and a single audience member.
How to describe these one-on-ones? My colleague Jesse Green, who favorably reviewed the first plays in the series (commissioned by Arts Brookfield), compared it to speed dating when you fall in love each time — agreed. Or you could say each sweet morsel, delivered with charged intimacy in this time of isolation, is like a truffle: small, delicious, refined — and over in an instant.
NASA Looking For Companies To Mine Moon For Resources – CBS Miami
U.S. and international companies would collect rocks and dirt from the moon, which would then be sold to the space agency.
The official request, published Thursday, states that NASA is willing to pay for samples between 50 and 500 grams — up to about a pound when weighed on Earth. And NASA said the funds will be paid in full once companies can “provide imagery,” proving the samples have been harvested and full ownership of the samples is transferred to NASA, according to the announcement.
OPINION: Arecibo Observatory should be rebuilt - SpaceFlight Insider
Damage to Arecibo Observatory, August 10, 2020. Photo Credit: National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center
After experiencing a series of misfortunes ranging from earthquakes to hurricanes to budget cuts, the National Science Foundation ‘s ( NSF ) Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, both a scientific and cultural icon, was seriously damaged when an auxiliary cable broke on Monday, August 10 at 2:45 am.
For the sake of its continuing science contributions and its cultural value, the observatory should be rebuilt and restored to its full capabilities.
No comments:
Post a Comment