SETI Institute

PRESS RELEASE: https://buff.ly/4eSputu SETI Institute Launches Art and AI Residency, Unveils Six Nominees for Innovative Program The SETI Artist in Residency (AIR) program announced Algorithmic Imaginings, a new residency that explores how AI technologies affect science and society. The residency focuses on creative research topics such as imaginary life, human-AI collaboration, AI futures, Posthumanism, AI and consciousness, and the ethics of AI data. It also connects with current SETI Institute research, such as exoplanet studies, astrobiology, signal detection, and advanced computing. The two-year program offers $30,000 in funding and an exhibition at the ZKM | Center for Art and Media in Karlsruhe, Germany. “AI is on everyone’s mind right now, be it ChatGPT4, text-to-video generators such as Sora, and discussions surrounding fake news and copyright,” said Bettina Forget, Director of the AIR program. “AI is a phenomenal tool, but it also comes with opportunities and concerns that should be addressed. This residency allows artists working at the intersection of art and technology to explore new avenues of thinking and connect them to SETI Institute research.” Internationally recognized media art curator Zhang Ga, SETI AIR program Director Bettina Forget, and SETI AIR program Founder and Senior Advisor Charles Lindsay lead the SETI AIR Algorithmic Imaginings residency. Andrew Siemion, the SETI Institute’s Bernard M. Oliver Chair for SETI Research, and AI researcher Robert Alvarez, who collaborates with the SETI Institute as a mentor for its Frontier Development Lab program, bring their science and technology expertise to this residency. The residency’s team of advisors selected six outstanding media artists and invited them to submit a project proposal for the SETI AIR Algorithmic Imaginings residency. “These artists are notable voices with a solid track record of critically and inventively confronting the pressing issues raised by a pervasively technological world,” said Zhang Ga. “SETI AIR is uniquely poised to participate in the AI zeitgeist that is exploding in San Francisco and Silicon Valley,” said Charles Lindsay. “We will support the most innovative artists of our time. It is time. Now.” The SETI Institute will announce the winning artist later this fall. Read more about the six nominees at the link above!

https://buff.ly/3UyAfsE Yesterday’s calm weather allowed us to set up the last WeatherPort for the dive hut and pitch another Heimplanet tent, gradually expanding our camp. With gear getting unpacked and organized, we’re just starting to strike a balance between daily logistics and diving into our science-driven fieldwork. Our camp is steadily taking shape, and as logistics fall into place, we’re easing into the science—finding a rhythm that keeps us warm, safe, and progressing each day. - Dale Anderson via Astrobiology

#ICYMI: https://buff.ly/4hztQHN In his new book "How to Kill an Asteroid", Dr. Robin George Andrews tells the story of #planetarydefense and how we got to this point in saving ourselves. On Halloween, communications specialist Beth Johnson had a fun (and slightly scary) conversation with Dr. Andrews about killer asteroids on #SETILive. #science

VIDEO: https://buff.ly/3C2Lovp Breakthrough Listen Project Scientist and SETI Institute Adjunct Senior Astronomer Steve Croft talks about how the current searches with the Green Bank Telescope build on the history of technosignature research at Green Bank while drawing on modern tools such as artificial intelligence. We now have a better chance than ever before to answer the question: are we alone?

Star Party is Tomorrow! 🌟🚀 Our next Young Genius Gathering is just around the corner, and we can’t wait to explore the stars with you! Join us for a night of fun, learning, and stargazing as we partner with Science ATL, SETI Institute/UNISTELLAR, AREACH, and Georgia Institute of Technology Astrobiology to bring the wonders of space to life. 💫 📅 Date: Saturday, November 2 🕒 Time: 6:30 PM 📍 Location: Columbia at Canopy Apartments 🗓 Register: https://lnkd.in/ewtmePrJ Get ready for a hands-on experience filled with telescopes, STEM activities, and more! See you there, young geniuses! 🌠 #GrovePark #GroveParkATL #GroveParkStrong #GroveParkFoundation #atlanta #atlantaga #ATL #younggeniusgatherings

https://buff.ly/3YMdV1b In May 2023, the ESA’s Exomars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), currently in orbit around Mars, sent a signal to Earth to simulate a possible extraterrestrial transmission. As part of the multidisciplinary art project “A Sign in Space,” the purpose was to engage citizen scientists in helping to decode it. The campaign was inspired by Cosmicomics by Italian writer/journalist Italo Calvino, a series of short stories exploring various scientific principles. The project is partnered with the SETI Institute, the Green Bank Observatory, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF). After three radio astronomy observatories on Earth intercepted the message, the challenge was to extract the message from the raw data of the radio signal and then decode it. After ten days, more than 5000 citizen scientists worldwide gathered online and used their combined resources to extract the signal. After a year of attempts, two U.S. citizens – the father-daughter team of Ken and Keli Chaffin – managed to crack the code after days of simulations. They discovered that the message consisted of five clusters of white dots and lattices against a black background, suggesting cellular formation and life! The project was founded by Daniela de Paulis, a media artist and licensed radio operator currently serving as the Artist in Residence at the SETI Institute and the Green Bank Observatory. Daniela and a small group of astronomers and computer scientists crafted the message with support from the ESA, the SETI Institute, and the Green Bank Observatory. On June 7th, 2024, she received the decoded image, which depicted five amino acids—the very building blocks of life—in a retro-like format.

MARS SAMPLE RETURN: CHINA FIRST? Was glad to share some thoughts for this good article by Leonard David on China's plans for a Mars sample return (MSR) mission: https://lnkd.in/gZqA-MDn I also spoke my mind in this earlier MSR story by Sarah Scoles: https://lnkd.in/gDivJPgV Bottom line: NASA should lead a MSR mission, but more cost effectively than recently planned, with scientifically more exciting samples to return and more relevant technology testing for future human missions. MSR won't be cheap, but let's make it worthwhile and really pave the way for humans. Mars Institute, SETI Institute, NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA Ames Research Center, National Space Society Pic below is from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

#PPOD: OTD Chiron Discovered On 1 November 1977, astronomer Charles Kowal discovered what would be the first of a new classification of objects - centaurs. The new minor planet, 2060 Chiron, was found in images taken at Palomar Observatory. Centaurs are small objects that orbit somewhere between the asteroid belt and the Kuiper Belt, often having the characteristics of both asteroids and comets. This image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows the faint coma that surrounds Chiron, which was first seen in 1989. Further observations in more recent years have shown that the changing brightness of the small body is a result of Chiron having rings! Credit: NASA/ESA/Hubble Space Telescope/Karen Meech Sign up for our enews: https://buff.ly/3YLgOzr

The famous Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico collapsed due to a combination of decayed zinc in the telescope’s cable sockets and previous damage from Hurricane Maria, according to a report published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

https://buff.ly/3C8cvFB Malliouhana unveiled “The Sea & Stars Adventure,” a unique celestial experience that will kick off with special events from November 8-9, 2024, as part of the resort’s 40th Anniversary Season of Celebration. The program offers a blend of luxury hospitality and engaging #astronomy activities, making it an exceptional addition to the array of events celebrating the resort’s legacy. This ongoing Malliouhana experience is designed to deepen the connection between the island’s community and the wonders of #space, offering guests and visitors a unique blend of local culture and the latest in space exploration. In collaboration with the SETI Institute and Unistellar, The Sea & Stars Adventure invites guests to explore the wonders of the universe in one of the World’s premier #stargazing locations. This initiative connects Anguilla’s rich history to the marvels of space and enhances the guest experience with a range of educational and interactive activities based on space exploration.