SETI

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.