AI Hunt For Extraterrestrial Intelligence Finds 8 Promising Signals

Machine intelligence is helping astronomers analyse vast datasets from radio telescopes — and finding previously unseen signals of interest.

The Physics arXiv Blog iconThe Physics arXiv Blog
By The Physics arXiv Blog
Mar 8, 2023 5:15 PMMar 8, 2023 5:16 PM
Green Bank, West Virginia - October 15, 2017 - The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) located at the Green Bank Observatory points skyward listening for signals from deep space.
(Credit:John M. Chase/Shutterstock)

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

One of the great scientific projects of our time is the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence or SETI — the hunt for evidence of technologically advanced civilizations elsewhere in the galaxy. The current manifestation of this endeavor is the Breakthrough Listen Initiative, which uses radio telescopes to look for signals that cannot have a terrestrial origin.

The big challenge in this effort is combing through massive data sets — hundreds of hours of data at multiple frequencies. Researchers have found tens of millions of false positives in these datasets and so would dearly love a quicker way to filter out the weeds.

0 free articles left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

0 free articlesSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

Stay Curious

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and unlock one more article for free.

 

View our Privacy Policy


Want more?
Keep reading for as low as $1.99!


Log In or Register

Already a subscriber?
Find my Subscription

More From Discover
Recommendations From Our Store
Shop Now
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2024 Kalmbach Media Co.