SETI

A new study proposes searching lunar regolith for microscopic technosignatures — tiny traces of alien technology that could have crossed interstellar space and settled on the Moon. The SETI Institute is discussing the idea with lead author Lewis Pinault in a live session, drawing attention to the Moon as a potential archive of evidence of extraterrestrial civilisations.

The SETI Institute is explaining how astronomers can tell whether a star has consumed its own planets. Lithium naturally disappears inside stars over time, making it unreliable as evidence, but beryllium lasts far longer. Its presence can therefore indicate that rocky worlds were swallowed, offering a new chemical clue in stellar detective work.

A new study in Science co-authored by SETI Institute Senior Research Scientist Dale Andersen shows that rare nitrogen molecules containing two heavy isotopes can directly measure biological nitrogen loss in ecosystems. The method lets scientists trace denitrification across lakes, aquifers, and coastal waters, offering a clearer picture of how nitrogen cycles through and leaves natural systems.

The SETI Institute is asking who would represent humanity if a signal from an extraterrestrial intelligence were ever detected. In a clip from its latest podcast episode, researchers argue that getting every nation to agree on a coordinated response may be impossible, but say international cooperation is still worth pursuing. The question highlights the absence of any agreed global protocol for first contact.

Scientists are highlighting a recently formed lunar crater about 222 meters wide whose impact disturbed the Moon's surface for kilometers around its rim. Researchers from the SETI Institute are presenting findings on the crater and its surprising reach, offering insight into how impacts reshape planetary surfaces far beyond the point of contact.

A new study co-authored by SETI Institute affiliate Mohit Melwani Daswani addresses a long-standing puzzle about Mars: the planet shows signs of a wet past, yet its carbonate rock record is sparse. The research suggests groundwater may have carried much of that carbonate material underground, meaning future missions could find evidence of Mars' wetter history beneath the surface rather than in exposed rocks.

SETI Institute volcanologist Dr. Kayla Iacovino appeared on NewsNation to explain what a Yellowstone super-eruption would actually mean for the planet. She described the event as so large that its global effects could be comparable to those of a major asteroid impact, prompting fresh public discussion about the supervolcano's potential consequences.

Researchers studying a newly formed crater on the Moon have found that an impact's effects extend far beyond the crater itself. By measuring nighttime surface temperatures, they detected changes in the lunar regolith that ordinary images do not always reveal, suggesting impacts disturb a much wider area of the surface than previously assumed. The findings were discussed by SETI Institute researcher Dr. Tyler M. Powell.

The SETI Institute has announced its largest-ever observing campaign with the Allen Telescope Array, a technosignature survey targeting the anti-Solar point on the sky. By staring at the region directly opposite the Sun, astronomers hope to catch signals from alien spacecraft that might be solar-sailing toward Earth, screening themselves against sunlight. The campaign marks a major expansion of the institute's search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

The SETI Institute is hosting the next Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture on October 7, with astrophysicist Dr. Jessie Christiansen exploring the question of whether Earth is unique. Thousands of years of wondering have confirmed that planets are common across the galaxy, yet another world quite like our own remains undiscovered, and the lecture will trace that search from past to present.

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured a HiRISE image showing dark sand dunes sweeping across the floor of Schaeberle Crater. The Seti Institute highlighted the picture, noting the crater spans nearly 159 kilometers in Mars' southern hemisphere and that its floor preserves evidence of very different past environmental conditions on the red planet.

A complete copy of the film KD - The Devil, presented in 1080p HD and billed as starring Shilpa Shetty, Abhimanyu Dassani and Shirley Setia, is circulating online and drawing heavy public attention. The Kannada-language action film has been closely awaited, and viewers are reacting to the widely shared full-movie copy. Industry observers typically note that such releases raise piracy concerns for producers and distributors.

Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has published an essay arguing that the search for extraterrestrial technology deserves an XPRIZE-style competition, offering a cash incentive to accelerate efforts to detect evidence of alien civilisations. Loeb, known for his controversial claims about interstellar objects like 'Oumuamua, proposes prize money as a way to draw researchers and funding into SETI-adjacent science.

Dr. Tyler Powell and SETI Institute researcher Dr. Sofia Sheikh appeared on Science Friday to discuss what the Moon reveals about its own history and the search for technology beyond Earth. Their conversation covered a newly discovered lunar impact crater and the hunt for microscopic technosignatures, linking planetary science with the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

SenseTime and Galaxy General Robotics are competing for business from 7-Eleven and Jinlimen, according to a Chinese tech news report. The story suggests the two robotics and AI firms are pursuing commercial deployment opportunities with the convenience store chain and the door manufacturer. Details on the scope of the contracts, the technology involved, or the financial terms were not provided in the report.

The SETI Institute is highlighting a new episode of its Big Picture Science programme, 'Skeptic Check: Sunny Daze', examining sunlight's effects on human health. The sun bombards Earth with radiation that can be harmful in excess, but recent studies suggest moderate exposure offers real benefits. The discussion explores the balance between the risks and rewards of catching some rays.

In 1820, mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss reportedly proposed carving gigantic right-angled triangles or squares into Siberian forests by clearing trees, planting wheat in between, hoping the geometric shapes would be visible from space and signal intelligent life. The anecdote is circulating again on social media, drawing amused and fascinated reactions as an early example of communication with extraterrestrial intelligence, long before modern SETI efforts.

The October 2, 2026 episode of Science Friday, hosted by Ira Flatow with Flora Lichtman, features two segments: an examination of a newly formed crater on the Moon and a discussion of the search for signs of alien technology. The episode is being shared among listeners interested in space science and SETI topics.

Russian authorities have detained a resident of the Primorsky region on suspicion of preparing a terrorist attack in North Ossetia. The arrest was reported by the Caucasian Knot news outlet. Few details have been released about the suspect or the alleged plot, and officials have not said what the intended target was or whether others are being sought.