SETI Backtracks on Signal

A report appeared Thursday in the prestigious weeklymagazine of science, the New Scientist, suggesting that asignal acquired by the SETI project in February might beworth examining for possible intelligent origin. This reportis now being described by some SETI scientists as “internet hype.”

This despite the fact that, according to New Scientist, “…The signal has a frequency of about 1420 megahertz. This happens to be one of the main frequencies at which hydrogen, the most common element in the universe, readily absorbs and emits energy…Extraterrestrials trying to advertise their presence would be likely to transmit at this frequency, and SETI researchers conventionally scan this part of the radio spectrum.” Eric Korpela, who analyzed the signal, said that he could not think of any way to fake a signal like this.

Eugene Samuel Reich wrote in New Scientist that inFebruary 2003, that SETI astronomers pointed the radio telescope in Arecibo, Puerto Rico at 200 sections of the sky. The same telescope has detected unexplained radio signals at least twice from each area, and the astronomers were trying to listen to them again. Usually when they do this, they don’thear them, and sure enough, all the signals seemed to havedisappeared?except this one, which has gotten stronger. It’s now been heard three times.

Dr. Paul Horowitz of Harvard has informed reporters that itis not being investigated further.

To read the New Scientist story,clickhere.

To read the retraction by SETI,clickhere.

If we get a clear signal from ET that is honestly reportedto the public, you can be sure Linda Howewill be the first to know it! For the first time, we?re offeringLinda’s VHS tapesAStrange Harvest (her classic!) and herupdatedStrange Harvest tape, make 10 years later. More good news:VolumeI of Glimpses of Other Realities is now back in print!

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