Free Astronomy Magazine September-October 2020

37 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2020 ASTROBIOLOGY not facilitated the awarding of public funds. Until a few years ago, most astro- biologists considered the search for fossil microbial traces on Mars as a priority (perhaps the most we can aspire to find in our solar system), as opposed to the search for signals sent by extraterrestrial intelligences. That said, discovering traces of life a stone's throw from home would not tell us much about how widespread it is in the Milky Way and in the universe. However, since we became aware that millions of other potentially habitable planets could exist (a few dozen of which have already been discovered and confirmed), the at- tention of a growing number of re- searchers has also turned well beyond the borders of our solar system. Discov- ering life indicators in the Milky Way has now become a prior- ity as well. In this en- deavor, the distinction between astrobiology and SETI appears truly inap- propriate - both have the same final objec- tive, with the difference being that astrobiology essentially seeks biosigna- tures, which can include elementary life forms, while SETI spe- cializes in the search for technosignatures, which result from highly evolved life forms. It is exactly in this context that the project by Frank and his collaborators (Avi Loeb, Harvard Univer- sity; Jason Wright, Pennsylvania State University; Jacob- Haqq Misra, international nonprofit or- ganization Blue Marble Space; Manasvi Lingam, Florida Institute of Technology) is placed. Called “Characterizing Atmos- pheric Technosignatures”, the project is aimed at the search for indicators of tech- nological activities, in particular expanses of solar panels and atmospheric pollutants of non-natural origin. “SETI has always faced the challenge of figuring out where to look. Which stars do you point your telescope at and look for signals? Now we know where to look. We have thousands of exoplanets includ- ing planets in the habitable zone where life can form. The game has changed,” Frank ex- plained. While Loeb added: “My hope is that, using this grant, we will quantify new ways to probe signs of alien technological civilizations that are similar or much more advanced to our own.” Technosignatures taken into consider- ation by Frank's team reflect or ab- sorb light at typical wavelengths which, if present, will be recognizable in the spectra of the near- est exoplanets and observed through next-generation tel- escopes. Since the time allotted to researchers on the world’s largest telescopes is particularly valuable, it is a must to know in advance where to look and for what. The news of the NASA grant for this new SETI project has been welcomed with gen- eral satisfaction, yet quite a few criticisms have also been raised regarding the tech- nological targets chosen by the team, typ- ically terrestrial and contemporary, and T he team of the new SETI project funded by NASA. Top to bottom: Adam Frank, Avi Loeb, Jason Wright, Jacob-Haqq Misra, Manasvi Lingam.