Thoughts on SETI

I run SETI at home . It is a shared processing Client, which runs in the background on my computer 24/7 and processes data packets of audio signals received from deep space for patterns that would indicate the presence of intelligent life.

I have been interested in Astronomy for as long as I can remember. This probably explains my affection for science fiction.

The big question the fate of the Universe? Personally, I see the Universe as timeless. From what I have read, I think the universe expands out from the big bang for several billion years, then eventually, reverses and starts to implode again into the tiny dot of matter/energy the big bang originated from, when this dot can get no smaller the Universe is born again. So everything has to be destroyed, but it will never end.

Yes I think extraterrestrial life does exist. There are TRILLIONS of star systems, at least one other is gonna have a shot. Though I often wonder if Binary systems are capable of supporting life since 70% of systems are binary. At this point in humanities evolution we are far to wrapped up in immediate gains to worry about anything as trivial as SETI as a race. I figure this will become a priority sometime after global warming is taken seriously... In the mean time unless SETI gets REALLY lucky like, finding the winning lottery tickets to every state lottery in the U.S. for that week on the sidewalk on their way to a Britney Spears concert, humans will not make contact.

This leads into the last question, in this epoch of human history we are for more likely to be contacted then contacting any ET ourselves. I for one hope we don't... All ethics are subjective and relative. This planet is in a huge amount of trouble if we are discovered by a race with Ethics similar to our own. They will recognize that life bearing planets are not that common and so being far more advanced then these dirty savages, they will wipe us off our little planet or enslave us. That's my best guess anyway, based on how this race has developed to treat each other and those we consider beneath us. For these reasons I don't think we should be contacted anyone outside the planet till we get our act together here. Although, if we did send something I would vote for Music. Music is a cultural universal, however it is completely unique to humanity and I wonder if it would be something new to ET.

I run SETI at home because I love the idea that my computer is being productive even while I am not. I think the project is a great idea and is symbolic of what humanity can do to create public goods when we come together for a common dream.