Seti: Bertrand Russell Essay, Research Paper
Bertrand Russell wrote, “There are two possibilities. Maybe we are alone. Maybe we are not. Both are equally frightening (Jakosky 1).” The question of life in the universe is one that leaves many in a state of bewilderment. It becomes even more interesting when it leads to another question – that of intelligent life in the universe. Finding other intelligent civilizations among the interstellar space would greatly affect every aspect of our existence. Conversely, not finding such a civilization would force us to examine the purpose of our own existence.
To help answer the question, astronomers and scientists set up a program in search for extraterrestrial intelligence. This program, or SETI, was set up to verify, by observation that extraterrestrial life does exist. SETI tries to prove this by picking up and analyzing radio signals by means of satellites and advanced computers (Heidmann 116).
The history of the SETI program is quite interesting. It started back in 1959 with the help of two famous Cornell University physicists, Guiseppi Cocconi and Phil Morrison. Both claimed that it would be possible to communicate with other potential extraterrestrial life in space by the use of techniques used in radio astronomy (Heidmann 112). Together, they voiced their belief that if other “alien astronomers” elsewhere in the universe possessed radio telescopes, that it would be possible to converse between the two (Heidmann 112-113).
A young astronomer by the name of Francis Drake agreed with the theories of Cocconi and Morrison. He proposed building a radio receiver in order to listen for waves of sound being transmitted through space. It wasn’t until the spring of 1960 that Drake began his first project of SETI, Ozma. In this project, he was the first to conduct a search for signals transmitted from other solar systems. For two tedious months, Drake pointed an eighty-five foot antenna in the direction of two starts the same age as our sun, Tau Ceti and Epsil. A single 100Hz-channel receiver scanned nearly 400kHz of bandwidth, for a repeated series of patterned pulses that would indicate an intelligent message (Heidmann 113-144). Unfortunately, the only sound that came from the speaker was static. Though no intelligent life was found and project Ozma proved to be nothing but a disappointment, it actually spurred the interest of others who created a feasible scientific objective (“Project Ozma”).
In the 1960’s the Soviet Union dominated much of the SETI program. However in the 1970’s NASA’s Ames Research center, located in California began to take over. After nearly a decade of study and preliminary research, the NASA headquarters fully funded and adopted the SETI program. However, five years later Congress ruled the program a foolish unnecessary scientific endeavor that wasted valuable funding. Congress then decided to not allow NASA to support SETI and terminated the funding (“History of SETI”). Despite the obstacle, the SETI program was reborn, forming the SETI Institute. It’s first privately funded project, Project Phoenix, is the world’s most sensitive and comprehensive search for extraterrestrial intelligence that listens to radio signals being transmitted our way. The project focuses on Northern Stars by scanning only those that are sun-like and are more capable of supporting life (Heidmann 146).
The Phoenix Project is only one of the many projects run for the search of extraterrestrial intelligence, but is one of the most important. Another highly significant project in the search for other life would be the project run by the Columbus Optical SETI Observatory, or COSETI. This project was formed to promote the optical search for extraterrestrial intelligence. In other words, it seeks to detect pulsed and continuous wave laser beacon signals in the visible and infrared spectrums. Until 1998 however, little, or nothing was ever said to indicate that there might possibly be a sensible optical approach to SETI. Many researchers believe that extraterrestrials, if they exist, are so sophisticated that they would use lasers for their communications rather than radio waves. It is said that by the year 2005 that most SETI activities will be of the optical kind and that the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) could also be retrofitted for COSETI. (“The Optical”).
One of the more recent projects that we are faced with today is the SETI@ Home Project. This project allows the general public to get involved in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence by allowing them to use their home computers to search for signs of radio signals being transmitted to Earth from space (Kahney, “A Search”). Supposedly, anyone is able to participate by running a free program that downloads and analyzes radio telescope data. The philosophy behind this is that the majority of the SETI projects in existence today build large computers that analyze the data collected from the telescopes in real time. Apparently, none of the computers have the capacity to look at the signals too deeply, and the weakest signals are missed. SETI programs could never afford the type of computer power need to analyze both the strongest and weakest signals, so the SETI team came up with the idea to let individuals at home help them out. The SETI @home project simply uses a small screen saver program that has the ability to download bits of information from the SETI @home web site and can analyze that date and report the data back. (Hipschma, “The Problem”). However, a small glitch has been found in this process. Volunteers who are downloading and analyzing the information are wasting CPU cycles by processing data that has already been scanned. The SETI @home team regrettably announced that due to the overwhelming response by volunteers, the lack of storage space and manpower, they are processing the same 115 blocks of information from a two-day period in January. Truly sincere and apologetic, the team plans to release new data to the public by May 24th. (Kahney, “A Search”).
For decades, radio astronomers have been hunting for signals from alien civilizations. In an interview with Peter Ward, Donald Brownlee, authors of the new book “Rare Earth,” the two scientists argue that the emergence of higher life forms would be exceedingly rare. In order for life to exist many unusual happenings would have to occur for complex life to exist.
Ward presents a lot of factors in his book, that would lead us to believe that earthlings” are the only complex civilization. First, our solar system lies in a perfect habitable zone. Anywhere too close to the Milky Way would have too violent conditions, and too far away would lack the necessary metals for life. Ward also says Earth lies within a zone of the solar system where liquid water and sufficient energy exists to sustain life.
Seth Shostack, an astronomer for SETI, argues against Ward’s view in the interview. He states that humans have only just begun the search, but agrees that many factors must occur before complex life can exist. However, he argues that these conditions will happen again, and Earth is not so “rare,” as Ward had suggested. Shostack says the signs of intelligent life have not been found, but that should not deter the scientists in their search. He claims, “that it is a bit like sitting in bars if Spain in 1491, arguing whether Christopher Columbus will ever find a new continent.” He continues by saying that, “You can argue that ad infinitum, and it makes for good conversation. But in the end, you have to build the ships to do the experiment.”
Whether for or against the SETI projects, the search for life in the universe has become recognized as an interest of the scientific community. Its title is to search for extraterrestrial life and its purpose is to search for planets in other solar systems and their ability to shelter life. Unfortunately, the funds for research are often based on the basis of their scientific research and the results obtained, making it hard to come to a proper conclusion. While many may have developed their own opinions, the scientists are the majorities that disagree about life on Earth and on other planets. However it is the difference of opinions that make the topic the search for extraterrestrial intelligence interesting. Scientists may reason that the extraterrestrials do no exist based on his/her research and hypotheses. The search for radio waves is a prime example because we cannot guarantee success of finding any signals from outer space, especially if we do not know if they are even using radio signals. (Jakosky 171-172). Until we actually find a transmitted radio wave from the outer universe, we can only come to our own basic conclusions on what we believe. Some may agree that intelligent life exists among the stars, and others may disagree, claiming we are the only intelligent life form. Everyone is open to his or her own opinion!
Despite what many critics of the SETI projects claim, many believe that the program must continue. They believe that at any moment a signal could be detected. If we have been “listening” that long, why should we stop now? The investment of manpower and computer technology has been greatly improved in order to accommodate such research. They believe that since SETI is a program that has already been internationally established and together SETI is allowing humanity to embrace technology to be able to communicate with other worlds. Researchers and supporters of SETI also agree that the discovery of a signal would have important meaning in the assumptions about our place as humans in the universe (Heidmann 220).
Whether we are alone, or whether we have company among us in the universe, is a mind-boggling question that still remains to be left unanswered. Through research and scientific study, we one day may be able to determine the answer. Or perhaps we will never know. It is the fear of the unknown that drives many of the researches onward into the discovery of extraterrestrial intelligence, and hopefully one day, all this hard work will pay off!
1. Heidmann, Jean. Extraterrestrial Intelligence. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992.
2. Jakosky, Bruce. The Search for Life on Other Planets. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998.
3. Kahney, Leander. “A Search for Intelligent Searchers.” Wired News (1999). 29 January 2000 *nitehawk/rasmit/*.
4. Hipschma, Ron. “ The Problem – Mountains of Data.” How SETI @Home Works (1999). 29 January 2000 nitehawk/rasmit/.
5. “Project Omar.” SETI Institute. 1999. SETI Institute. 28 January 2000 seti/science/ozma.html.
6. “History of SETI.” SETI Institute. 1999. SETI Institute. 29 January 2000 seti/general/history.html.
7. “The Optical SETI Resource for Planet Earth.” The Columbus Optical SETI Observatory. 1999. Columbus Observatory. 27 January 2000 coseti/.
8. Ward, Peter. Interview with Lori Stokes. The Debate Over Life Beyond Earth. MSNBC. 10 Feb. 2000.
Другие работы по теме:
Барер, Бертран
Бертран Барер де Вьёзак (фр. Bertrand Barиre de Vieuzac) (10 сентября 1755, Тарб, — 13 января 1841, Тарб) — французский политик, адвокат, деятель Великой французской революции, депутат Учредительного собрания и Национального конвента.
Лабурдонне, Бертран Франсуа де
Памятник мореплавателю Бертран Франсуа Маэ де Лабурдонне (фр. Bertrand-Franзois Mahй de La Bourdonnais; 11 февраля 1699(16990211), Сен-Мало, Франция — 10 ноября 1753, Париж, Франция) — французский мореплаватель и военачальник.
Stereotypes Of Men Essay Research Paper Stereotypes
Stereotypes Of Men Essay, Research Paper Stereotypes of Men Both Scott Russell Sanders Looking at Women and Herb Goldberg s In Harness: The Male Condition discuss the idea of stereotypes of men in today s
Hati Essay Research Paper The Caribbean Islands
Hati Essay, Research Paper The Caribbean Islands are one of the most traveled to place in the world. One of these islands in the Caribbean Sea is the island of Hispano, which is both the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. This country has a recorded history of about 552 years. They also have special culture.
HertzsprungRussell Diagram Essay Research Paper The HertzsprungRussell
Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram Essay, Research Paper The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram or, the H-R Diagram for short, is a graph which plots stars according to their temperature and absolute magnitude. This graph reveals a pattern, which in fact is quite interesting. The H-R Diagram is named for the two astronomers, Ejnar Hertzsprung and Henry Russell, who discovered this pattern of stars.
An Analytical Definition Of Philosophia Essay Research
Paper Men and women have tried for years to define Philosophy. One particularly interesting attempt was made by Martin Heidegger in the late 8th Century. He is reported as saying to his good friend and lover, Patrick Hurley, “Philosophy is one large search for the being-upon another and one long journey into the being-inside.” In this sense, Philosophy is best understand as a search.
The Magnificence Of Ramses Ii Essay Research
Paper The Magnificence of Ramses II The history of Ancient Egypt consisted of a number of very powerful rulers known as pharahs. These pharaohs were regarded as gods by the Egyptian people. Every aspect of daily Egyptian life including the weather, and the success of the crops, was supposedly controlled by the pharaohs’ attitude.
Not A Christian Fallacies Essay Research Paper
Ignore fact and reason, live entirely in the world of your own fantastic and myth-producing passions; do this whole-heartedly and with conviction, and you will become one of the prophets of your age. Bertrand Russell wrote this controversial statement in his essay, How to Become a Man of Genius. Bertrand Russell was a man who some deemed one of the most provocative philosophers of his time.
Did You Just See That Essay Research
Paper Humdrum Conundrum: Does or does it not make sense to insist that how each person sees things depends entirely on that persons unique time, place, and subjective judgement? on their cultural background?
Advertising Analysis Essay Research Paper We see
Advertising Analysis Essay, Research Paper We see them in the subways, bus stops, magazines, and television, but what do they mean? How do they manage to catch our attention? Advertisements often find ways to sell their products by psychologically manipulating people. The advertising industry makes us envious of others and convinces us to be unhappy with what we have (Valko).
Society And It
’s Influence On Conventionality Essay, Research Paper Essay Conventional and Sterile Tuesday Nov. 07, 2000 It is my understanding that people grow up in a society of conventional and sterile ways of life. Some societies have a tendency to raise people to be similar in their way of thinking. People are educated to have the same morals, beliefs (within their own culture), and, or opportunities at an education.
Erdos Essay Research Paper Justin AndrewsErd sPaul
Erdos Essay, Research Paper Justin Andrews Erd s Paul Erdos was born in Budapest, Hungary on march 26,1913. He was the son of Lajos and his mother Anna Both parents were math teachers. Which is most likely where Paul received his math influence. His sisters died of scarlet fever around the time he was born this making his parents very protective of little Paul during his childhood.
The Place Of Science In A Libe
Essay, Research Paper In his essay, “The Place of Science in a Liberal Education,” Russell Bertrand explains how a liberal education is obtained through a literary education and an education based on science. His goal is not to attack literary education, but to draw attention to theachievements and excellencies in science in the present.
Educating Rita
– Love Story Essay, Research Paper To answer the question whether or not Willy Russell actually wrote a love story as he intended to do, I consider certain aspects. I find two totally different main characters in Frank and Rita and therefore will be dealing with completely different ways of behaviour and reaction.
How Does Logic Help Us Clarify Or
Solve Problems? Essay, Research Paper Everyday people employ the use of logic to help them clarify or solve problems. Logic may only provide validity or highly probable ideas, but the
BakerS Childhood Essay Research Paper The excerpt
Baker?S Childhood Essay, Research Paper The excerpt explains Baker?s childhood growing up in the 1930s. He lived in Belleville, NJ with his younger sister Doris, and his single mother. This story to talks about Russell growing up and how his mother pushed him to work and be responsible as a young adult, but all he wanted to do is listen to ?Dick Tracy meets the Stooge Viller? on the radio reading his book.
Positivism Essay Research Paper Positivism is a
Positivism Essay, Research Paper Positivism is a system of philosophy based on experience and experimental knowledge of natural sensation, in which metaphysics and theology are regarded as inadequate and imperfect systems of knowledge. (www.eb) The 19th-century French mathematician and philosopher Auguste Comte first called the doctrine positivism, but some of the positivist concepts may be traced to the British philosopher David Hume, the French philosopher Duc de Saint-Simon, and the German philosopher Immanuel Kant.
Accomplishments In The Life Of Albert Einstein
Essay, Research Paper Accomplishments in the Life Of Albert Einstein Albert Einstein was one of the greatest geniuses of all time. In 1886 he began his school career in Munich. He studied mathematics, in particular calculus, beginning around 1891.
Rumble Fish Essay Research Paper SummaryRumble fish
Rumble Fish Essay, Research Paper Summary Rumble fish is a narrative story where a boy named Russell-James meets up with his old friend Steve and remembers the past. It all started with Russell-James (Rusty-James was his nickname) saw his old friend Steve. They talked for a while when Russell-James is reminded about the knife fight he had 5 years ago because of his reunion with Steve. {Flashback} His story started out with him being told that he would be killed in the yard behind the ally by Biff in the late afternoon.
Strawson Russel Essay Research Paper Philosophy
Strawson $ Russel Essay, Research Paper Philosophy of Language December 1, 1999 Strawson?s Criticism of Russell The main point of Strawson?s essay is to essentially to disprove Russell?s theory of descriptions. Strawson felt that Russell, along with the rest, had somehow lost the sense of reality that he now hoped to reestablish in his analysis.
Betrand Russell The Problems Of Philosophy Essay
, Research Paper Betrand Russell: The Problems of Philosophy The value of Philosophy is, in fact, to be sought largely in its uncertainty. The man who has no tincture of Philosophy goes through life imprisoned in the
Knowledge Essay Research Paper KnowledgeWhen discussing the
Knowledge Essay, Research Paper Knowledge When discussing the concept of knowledge it must be made clear what type of knowledge is being discussed. Three types of knowledge are proposed in philosophy; object knowledge, know-how knowledge, and propositional knowledge. Object knowledge involves a person, place, or thing.
Advertising Critique Essay Research Paper The first
Advertising Critique Essay, Research Paper The first of the three ads that I have selected is from The New Yorker magazine. It is an ad for Russell Athletic. This is a company that makes sports wear. In the ad, you see a man wearing their product. The man is vigorously working out and is in good shape. The outfit from Russell Athletic is supposed to perform, according to the caption on the left.
Theory Of Knowledge Essay Research Paper Theory
Theory Of Knowledge Essay, Research Paper Theory Of Knowledge Don t give me any more facts! I need to make a decision right now! Although one can question knowledge endlessly, one cannot forever suspend judgment while researching and reflecting. What would it mean to act responsibly in a situation where one cannot possess certainty? How would one justify the decision?
Phil201 Essay Research Paper The Only Truth
Phil201 Essay, Research Paper The Only Truth Existing”We are, then, faced with a quite simple alternative: Either we deny that there is here anything that can be called truth – a choice that would make us deny what weexperience most profoundly as our own being; or we must look beyond the realm of our “natural” experience for a validation of our certainty.”A famous philosopher, Rene Descartes, once stated, “I am, [therefore] I exist.” This statement holds the only truth found for certain in our “natural” experience that, as conscious beings, we exist.
What Is Induction Does It Work
? Essay, Research Paper Introduction: In this essay I will begin by explaining what induction actually is. Then I will highlight the difference between induction as a form of reasoning and deduction in an attempt to clarify the main ‘Problem with induction’. Next I will go through a number of different philosophers attempts to deal with this problem as well as pointing out a number of extra problems with induction.
Value Of Philosophy Essay Research Paper What
Value Of Philosophy Essay, Research Paper What is the value of Philosophy? The word ?philosophy? is derived from two ancient Greek words, ?philos? meaning ?love of? and ?sophia? meaning ?wisdom?. Philosophers are lovers of wisdom. They have had the time and resources to sit back and wonder about what things really are like when all the pieces are fitted into one final accounting.
Sports Report Essay Research Paper SPORTS REPORTThe
Sports Report Essay, Research Paper SPORTS REPORT The Seattle SuperSonics has figured out how to beat the Utah Jazz. Don t let Karl Malone, John Stockton and Co. play their game. The Sonics tied the best-of-five series with two homecourt victories by disrupting Utah s methodical pick-and-roll and turning the Jazz into a flustered, emotional team.
Bertrand Russell The Value Of Philosophy Essay
, Research Paper The Value of Philosophy Consider a man that looks to material needs as the necessities of life. He moves through his world in a twenty-four hour cycle of the mundane, never reaching for a less ignorant existence. Bertrand Russell believes that these “practical men”, as society deems them, are wrongly named.
Bertrand Russell
’s Platonic Universals Essay, Research Paper The consideration of Platonic universals consequently rouses controversy among philosophers. Thinkers like Bertrand Russell and Thomas Hobbes contribute reflective explanations for the undeniable usage of question-begging ideas in language and thought.
Truth II The Only Truth Existing Essay
, Research Paper Truth The Only Truth Existing [This is my second and last essay of Philosophy 201]-RJ The Only Truth Existing “We are, then, faced with a quite simple alternative: Either we deny that there is here
World View Of Bertrand Russell Essay Research
Paper The World View of Bertrand Russell In today’s world, it is difficult to know just what is correct among the ideas of the universe, what we are and how we came to be, and how we should live as human beings and as a society. Bertrand Russell, an agnostic philosopher, approaches these questions and tries to answer them according to what science has proven throughout history.
Louis Xvi Essay Research Paper Bertrand
Louis Xvi Essay, Research Paper Bertrand, Louis, LouisXVI , New York: Longmans, Green and Co, 1928, 355pp. The reign of Louis XVI as described in this wonderful pice of literature, is glorified as being one of the few great ages in the history of western man. During his rule, the French culture achieved a perfection that was formerly unknown.