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| Personal background |
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I live in the English Midlands.
I started studying Physics at Uni, but changed course to Ancient History (as you do).
Just thought that I'd like to help out, in however small a way that I can.
I like FLOSS, public Science projects, and (more bizarrely for a Britisher) the Chicago White Sox - so sue me!
Cheers,
Ed.
P.S. as you will see below, I not only tend to verge on the margins of prolixity, but I also have a lamentable penchant to become inebriated with the efflorescence of my own polysyllabic orotundity.
Ave! |
| Thoughts about SETI and SETI@home |
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1) Why do I run SETI@home?
Because I think that the project is really important for the advancement (and possibly the future survival) of our species, and I am aware that this is the most cost-efficient way to run the project.
Or, to put it another way, I am aware that our Governments are too 'tight' to pay for a proper mapping of NEO's, let alone the funding of SETI, and I would like to see the project continue; so I signed-up.
2) What are my views on the project?
I think that it is a laudable enterprise, and one that, if successful, might be able to succeed in finally uniting us as a species - rather than us continuing on our habitual path of expending our energies and intelligence in killing one another for reasons that are trivial (e.g. 'racial' or linguistic differences), nonsensical (e.g. 'Religious' motivations), or which are motivated by narrow, venal self-interest (e.g. to enhance the profits of the Halliburton corporation).
3) Any suggestions?
As a non-scientist, indeed a non-expert on anything, I am loath to offer any suggestions.
That said, I would like to say that I think that the best way to expand SETI is merely to ensure that as many people as possible are aware of it.
As mentioned above, our Governments will never fund it adequately (for various reasons, not all of which require a tinfoil-hatted view of Governmental motivation), and so it is fundamentally an exercise dependent on voluntary contributions from members of the worldwide public.
Increasing participation in the project is essentially a question of 'Marketing' it correctly (why am I reminded of Bill Hicks here?).
In my opinion, there will only be a certain fraction of humanity that not only has sufficient resources to spare some for SETI, but which also has the desire/willingness to do so.
I don't think that trying to 'guilt-trip' humans into contributing will EVER work (cf the huge difficulties in getting the message across about Environmental change/global warming/sustainability), and so the best way to 'grow' the project is to try to ensure that the message is out there - by getting mentions on popular science programmes on radio and TV, and by trying to get it mentioned in as many magazines and journals as possible.
I wish SETI every success! |
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