|
| Personal background |
|---|
I'm a programmer working for the University of
Minnesota Libraries, working primarily with open source
technologies: linux, mySQL, Apache, PHP.
I've been a long-time advocate of manned space exploration,
science fiction fan, and dabbler in a few areas:
geology, paleontology, natural history, ecology, Eastern
philosophy, and astronomy.
My academic work includes a B.A. in Anthropology & History
and a B.S. in Computer Science. Graduate work in
archaeology and library science. My personal web site
is here: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~brams007/index.html.
|
| Thoughts about SETI and SETI@home |
|---|
Views on SETI@Home
As a proof-of-concept, S@H is a ground-breaker and certainly worthwhile.
Unfortunately, whenever I use Distant Suns (Windows) or Xephem (on Linux) to
examine my S@H w/u's, I see them in deep space far from a sun similar to ours,
typically far from anything at all. In addition to this scattershot
approach, we're examining only a miniscule portion of the radio spectrum.
I believe we need a targetted Seti@Home II, aimed specifically at perhaps a
1,000 stars most similar to our sun, and perhaps 100,000 frequencies each.
Odds of Discovery
Adopting the approach above will yield a much greater likelihood
of discovery. As S@H currently stands, I give it extremely remote odds.
Either We're Alone or We Are Not
If we're "it", then we have an immense role to play in this
universe as stewards of all forms of life which, then, are
basically sacred: each species is the only example of its
kind in the entire universe. We must become strong
environmentalists, switch to solar power, and quit voting
for corrupt plutocrats in our respective governments.
If we are not alone, then we must re-examine ourselves
as well. We must drop our tribal mentality and ideologies
which divide ethnic groups, religions, and nations. In this
greater context which we (all intelligent life) are
representatives of the same thing: inquisitive animals
who, unlike forces of raw nature, can show compassion. |
| Your feedback on this profile |
|---|
| Recommend this profile for User of the Day: |
I like this profile |
| Alert administrators to an offensive profile: |
I do not like this profile |
|
| Account data |
View |
| Team |
None |
|
