Topic: SETI Institute

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Is anyone there? UK scientists launch hunt for alien intelligence.

Eleven UK institutions plan to launch a collaborative effort to comb the universe for messages from intelligent alien life.
Global News Blog UK joins the search for aliens ahead of Roswell anniversary

The British team joins a group of mostly American projects known collectively as the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
Pluto's craters could get Star Trek names

Even though 'Vulcan' has been rejected as the name of one of Pluto's recently discovered moons, an astronomer has left open the possibility of naming some of Pluto's geographical features after Star Trek characters.
PayPal Galactic: Your favorite way to pay. In space.

PayPal has introduced PayPal Galactic, aimed at making financial transactions easier for space travelers. The launch of PayPal Galactic comes just as the space tourism industry is starting to take flight.
42 facts about Douglas Adams (+video)

Google's doodle celebrates 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' author Douglas Adams. Here are 42 facts about the humorist, environmentalist, technophile, and all-around hoopy frood who would have turned 61 on Monday.
'Vulcan' and 'Cerberus' are favorite names for Pluto's moons

The online poll for naming Pluto's moons – P4 and P5 – is now over and the winning names are 'Vulcan' and 'Cerberus.' This result, however, doesn't guarantee that P4 and P5 will actually get these names.
Looks like Pluto will have a moon named 'Vulcan'

The votes are in for the SETI Institute's Pluto Rocks Poll, and, thanks in part to William Shatner, Mr. Spock's home planet is a clear winner.
Naming Pluto's moon 'Vulcan' only logical, says William Shatner

William Shatner proposed 'Vulcan' as the name of one of Pluto's recently discovered moons, and more than 100,000 'Star Trek' fans seem to concur.
Mathematician discovers largest prime number (so far)

The largest prime number yet discovered, 2 raised to the 57,885,161 power minus 1, is 17,425,170 digits long, which is 4,446,981 digits longer than the previous record holder, the 12,978,189-digit-long 2 raised to the 43,112,609 power minus 1, which was discovered in 2008.
Quadrantid meteor shower: Will moon wash out the show?

Quadrantid meteor shower-watchers will have to deal with a three-quarter-full moon, but the event peaks overnight Wednesday, meaning the show will go on.
Quandrantid meteor shower: The best time to catch it

Quadrantid meteor shower: With a bright gibbous moon, the best time to view the Quandrantid meteor shower is between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. EST, before the sun rises.
California meteorite reveals secrets thanks to crowdsourcing (+video)

Recently published research describes a collection of meteorite pieces that landed in California in April. The study came about through a group effort dubbed "crowdsourcing" by the lead scientist.
Moon formed from humongous Earth collision, new theories attempt to explain

The new research potentially plugs a big hole in the giant impact theory, long the leading explanation for the moon's formation.
Earth-sized planet too hot for non-asbestos life forms, but ...

Earth-sized planet: With a mass about 1.1 times that of Earth, it is strikingly similar in size. Could the Alpha Centauri B system hold more Earth-sized, but habitable planets?
NASA Mars rover: What if we find signs of life? (+video)

If NASA's Mars rover, Curiosity, safely touches down on Sunday night, it will begin searching for organic molecules in the Red Planet's soil. What would happen if the rover found something?
Hubble spots fifth moon orbiting ex-planet Pluto

Scientists have announced the discovery of a fifth moon of Pluto. Dubbed P5 for now, it is the smallest moon yet detected orbiting the frigid dwarf planet.
Pluto now has at least five moons. Can we go back to calling it a planet?

Long considered a planet, Pluto was reclassified as a 'dwarf planet' in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union. Will the discovery of a fifth moon prompt astronomers to reconsider?
Hubble telescope spots fifth moon orbiting Pluto (+video)

Almost exactly a year after it spotted a fourth moon orbiting the icy dwarf planet, the Hubble Space Telescope has detected a fifth one.
Florida scientists reduced to holding bake sale to fund NASA

In an effort to rescue planetary science projects amid budget cuts, scientists in Florida are holding bake sales and car washes to sway legislators to protect NASA's budget.
Forget 'Men in Black 3': Why aliens won't attack Earth

SETI hunter Jill Tarter says Sir Stephen Hawking is wrong about aliens coming to attack or colonize Earth. If aliens can get here, Tarter reasons, they'll be advanced enough not to need slaves, food or other planets,
Quadrantid Meteor Shower peaks Weds, one of 2012's best

The Quadrantids are notoriously unpredictable, but if any year promises a fine display, this could be it.
Microsoft billionaire launches new space venture

Stratolaunch Systems continues a trend for Paul Allen, who has funded several different spaceflight and astronomy efforts over the years.
12/14/2011 02:14 pm
Humongous plane to serve as flying launch pad for space tourists

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen announced plans to construct a giant aircraft to launch rockets into orbit, eventually for paying passengers.
12/13/2011 04:12 pm
Draconid meteor shower: Don't let daylight or nearly full moon stop you

Draconid meteor shower viewing is potentially much more exciting this year, as Earth is expected to hit some tendrils of comet dust head-on. But the peak is Saturday afternoon.
10/07/2011 08:11 pm
Tatooine for real? Scientists confirm planet orbiting two suns.

Tatooine is the mythical home of Luke Skywalker. Now, scientists have identified a planet in a binary system 200 light-years away, although the planet is more like Saturn in mass and makeup.
09/15/2011 07:23 pm