In the last 60 years, humankind has made great strides in our search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). But will we ever be successful?

In this episode, Tom is joined by Professor Steven Tingay and Dr Chenoa Tremblay – who recently scanned 10.35 million known stars in the deepest and broadest search ever for extraterrestrial technologies – to discuss what progress has been made.

• Recent SETI survey is just a drop in the ocean [02:44]
• Signals might not necessarily be thousands of years old [06:54]
• How do you know where to look? [10:02]
• Square Kilometre Array will improve search capabilities [11:48]
• What would happen if you found a signal? [15:53]
• Thoughts on announcement of possible life on Venus [21:25]
• Proving signals are of alien origin could take decades [27:23]

Learn more* Cambridge University Press: A SETI survey of the Vela region using the Murchison Widefield Array: Orders of magnitude expansion in search space * CSIRO: Australian telescope finds no signs of alien technology in 10 million star systems * Murchison Widefield Array website * New Scientist: Famous Wow! signal might have been from comets, not aliens * The SKA Project website

Got any questions, or suggestions for future topics?Email thefutureof@curtin.edu.au.

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