For decades, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute (SETI) has been searching the stars for signs of a technologically advanced civilization lurking among them. Although such a sign has not yet emerged, it is worth considering that we only observe a very small part of the universe and for a very short period of time.

Thus, a new $200 million philanthropic gift to the SETI Institute will ensure that the SETI Institute’s efforts will continue into the future and give astronomers the best chance to answer one of the most intriguing scientific and philosophical questions of our species.

The huge sum was donated by the estate of cutting-edge tech entrepreneur and Qualcomm co-founder Franklin Antonnio. Antonnio worked at SETI for 12 years before his death on May 13, 2022.

“Franklin was not only a major benefactor of SETI research at the Allen Telescope Array (ATA), he was also an integral part of the technical team. His outstanding knowledge of communications technology was invaluable in elevating ATA to a world-class radio telescope. SETI at the University of Oxford “The instrument is what it is today,” Research Director Andrew Simion said in a statement.

Founded in 1984, the SETI Institute is a nonprofit, interdisciplinary research and education organization with more than 100 scientists in 173 separate programs. Research grants make up the bulk of SETI’s federal funding, but most of the Institute’s projects rely on philanthropy and private funding. SETI’s annual operating budget is typically between 25 and 30 million, which means a gift will play a significant role in ensuring the Institute continues to operate for many years to come.

The additional funding will also allow SETI to combine ongoing projects to leverage the power of data analytics, machine learning, and advanced signal detection technologies in efforts to discover intelligent technologies elsewhere in the universe.

“This gift will impact all areas of research at the SETI Institute,” said Natalie Cabrol, director of the Carl Sagan Research Center. “This will give our teams the freedom to pursue their own scientific priorities and explore the technological, philosophical and societal impact of their research on our daily lives on Earth,” he added.

Researchers in the fields of astronomy and astrobiology are taking increasingly seriously the idea that our first clear detection of life elsewhere in space may come in the form of a technosignature, evidence that points to the use of extraterrestrial technology. Source