{"id":19771,"date":"2011-04-27T00:01:44","date_gmt":"2011-04-26T16:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/seti-off-the-hook-what-if-we-miss-the-call-from-the-aliens\/"},"modified":"2011-04-27T00:01:44","modified_gmt":"2011-04-26T16:01:44","slug":"seti-off-the-hook-what-if-we-miss-the-call-from-the-aliens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/seti-off-the-hook-what-if-we-miss-the-call-from-the-aliens\/","title":{"rendered":"SETI off the hook: What if we miss the call from the aliens?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"The Paul Allen-backed effort to communicate with alien life has hit a serious financial snag. The SETI Institute, which operates the Allen Telescope Array in northern California, says the government budget crunch has forced the organization to put the search for extraterrestrial intelligence on hold.<\/p>\n

In 2001, Allen agreed to bankroll the initial construction of the radio telescope array, investing tens of millions into the project through his family foundation. Former Microsoft Chief Technology Officer Nathan Myhrvold also is a supporter of the organization, which completed the first phase of the project in 2007 with 42 antennas.<\/p>\n

But the group has run out of operating funds for the telescope array, with SETI astronomer Seth Shostak telling the San Jose Mercury News that the suspension of the project is the equivalent of \u201cthe Ni\u00f1a, Pinta and Santa Maria being put into dry dock.\u201d<\/p>\n

A spokesman for Allen\u2019s foundation said via email, \u201cWe partnered with Berkeley and SETI for more than 10 years and contributed more than $30 million to design, build, and operate the ATA. We are proud of the technology that was developed in conjunction with our partners and are happy to see it showing up in other telescope designs around the world. We maintain hope that funding for continued operations will be found.\u201d<\/p>\n

The telescope array is just one of Allen\u2019s many interests, which have been documented in great detail in recent weeks as the billionaire touts his new memoir \u201cIdea Man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Allen talked about SETI on Friday night, without addressing the current funding crunch, during an appearance at Seattle\u2019s Town Hall.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a very, very long shot, and if they do hear something, they\u2019re supposed to call me,\u201d he said. \u201cBut my Blackberry, nothing. It\u2019s not even vibrating. No, imagine how all of our lives would be stimulated and changed if there were other societies out there beyond our solar system. It\u2019s a very, very long shot. But I thought it was worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The telescope array has other goals beyond communicating with ET. The organization\u2019s Web site says that the telescope array is also trying to:<\/p>\n