Embracing Authenticity and Risk in Scientific Pursuits | 2min snip from Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

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Could Aliens Be Using Light to Communicate? A New Era of SETI with Shelley Wright [ep. 483]

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

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Embracing Authenticity and Risk in Scientific Pursuits

This chapter focuses on the significance of passion and authenticity for a successful career in science. It highlights the necessity of risk-taking and resilience while celebrating contributions to the field and encouraging ongoing engagement.

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Are We Searching for Aliens the Wrong Way?

Historically, SETI has focused primarily on radio waves because they can travel vast distances through interstellar gas and dust with minimal absorption and require less energy to transmit compared to other wavelengths. This approach dates back to the 1960s, when astronomer Frank Drake conducted the first modern SETI experiment, Project Ozma. However, in recent years, optical SETI and infrared SETI have started to gain traction.

Here today to tell us everything about this new era of SETI is the remarkable observational and experimental astrophysicist Shelley Wright! Shelley is a Professor of Astronomy, Astrophysics, and Physics at UCSD. She specializes in designing and using astronomical instruments that make use of adaptive optics, with a particular focus on techniques involving integral field spectrographs. As a SETI researcher and instrumentalist, there is no one better to shed light on this topic than her!

Join us in our hunt for extraterrestrial life.

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