The search for extraterrestrial intelligence ( SETI ) is a collective term for scientific searches for intelligent extraterrestrial life , for example, monitoring electromagnetic radiation for signs of transmissions from civilizations on other planets. [1] [2] [3]
Scientific investigation began shortly after the advent of radio in the early 1900s, and focused international efforts have been ongoing since the 1980s. [4] In 2015, Stephen Hawking and Israeli billionaire Yuri Milner announced the Breakthrough Listen Project, a $100 million 10-year attempt to detect signals from nearby stars. [5]
There have been many earlier searches for extraterrestrial intelligence within the Solar System . In 1896, Nikola Tesla suggested that an extreme version of his wireless electrical transmission system could be used to contact beings on Mars . [6] In 1899, while conducting experiments at his Colorado Springs experimental station , he thought he had detected a signal from Mars since an odd repetitive static signal seemed to cut off when Mars set in the night sky. Analysis of Tesla's research has led to a rang