(Press-News.org) May 30, 2023, Mountain View, CA – Akshay Suresh, a graduate student at Cornell University, spearheads an extraordinary scientific endeavor -- a groundbreaking mission to uncover periodic signals emanating from the core of the Milky Way called the Breakthrough Listen Investigation for Periodic Spectral Signals (BLIPSS). Such repetitive patterns could be the key to unlocking the mysteries of extraterrestrial intelligence in our galaxy. Suresh and his co-authors detail the project’s results thus far in a paper accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal, “A 4–8 GHz Galactic Center Search for Periodic Technosignatures.”
BLIPSS is a collaboration between Cornell University, the SETI Institute, and Breakthrough Listen. By directing their focus towards the central region of the Milky Way, with its dense congregation of stars and possibly habitable exoplanets, the BLIPSS team amplifies the odds of capturing compelling evidence of extraterrestrial technology. If an alien civilization wanted to communicate with other civilizations throughout the Milky Way, the galaxy’s core holds potential as a strategic site for a beacon.
“BLIPSS showcases the cutting-edge potential of software as a science multiplier for SETI,” said Suresh.
SETI Institute Astronomer Dr. Vishal Gajjar is one of Suresh’s advisors on the project. “Until now, radio SETI has primarily dedicated its efforts to the search for continuous signals,” said Gajjar. “Our study sheds light on the remarkable energy efficiency of a train of pulses as a means of interstellar communication across vast distances. Notably, this study marks the first-ever comprehensive endeavor to conduct in-depth searches for these signals.”
The team began by testing their algorithm on known pulsars, successfully detecting the expected periodic emissions. Subsequently, they turned their attention to a dataset of scans of the Galactic Center captured by the Breakthrough Listen instrument on the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) in West Virginia. Unlike pulsars, which emit signals across a broad range of radio frequencies, BLIPSS narrowed its search to repeating signals within a narrower frequency range—covering less than a tenth of the width of an average FM radio station.
Dr. Steve Croft, the Breakthrough Listen Project Scientist for GBT and Adjunct Senior Astronomer at the SETI Institute, highlighted the significance of this approach, as it combines narrow bandwidths with periodic patterns that could signify deliberate technological activities by intelligent civilizations. Suresh’s technique presents a novel methodology to sift through this metaphorical haystack, enabling the team to identify tantalizing evidence of advanced extraterrestrial life forms.
A PDF of the paper (accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal), links to the datasets examined, and an artist’s conception of an artificial periodic transmitter are available at https://seti.berkeley.edu/blipss/.
About the SETI Institute
Founded in 1984, the SETI Institute is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary research and education organization whose mission is to lead humanity’s quest to understand the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the Universe and to share that knowledge with the world. Its research encompasses the physical and biological sciences and leverages expertise in data analytics, machine learning and advanced signal detection technologies. The SETI Institute is a distinguished research partner for industry, academia and government agencies, including NASA and NSF.
Contact information
Rebecca McDonald
Director of Communications
SETI Institute
rmcdonald@seti.org
Breakthrough Listen is a scientific program searching for evidence of technological life in the Universe. It aims to survey one million nearby stars, the entire galactic plane and 100 nearby galaxies at a wide range of radio and optical bands. Additional information: breakthroughinitiatives.org.
The Breakthrough Initiatives are a suite of scientific and technological programs investigating the fundamental questions of life in the Universe. The Breakthrough Initiatives are funded by the Breakthrough Foundation established by Yuri and Julia Milner. Additional information about Yuri: yurimilner.com.
END
Quest for alien signals in the heart of the Milky Way takes off
If an alien civilization wanted to communicate with other civilizations throughout the Milky Way, the galaxy’s core holds potential as a strategic site for a beacon
2023-05-30
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Deconstructing the role of MALAT1 in MAPK-Signaling in melanoma
2023-05-30
“In this study, we present novel transcriptional dependencies between MALAT1 and MAPK-pathway-associated genes in melanoma.”
BUFFALO, NY- May 30, 2023 – A new research paper was published in Oncotarget's Volume 14 on May 26, 2023, entitled, “Deconstructing the role of MALAT1 in MAPK-signaling in melanoma: insights from antisense oligonucleotide treatment.”
The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) MALAT1 is a regulator of oncogenesis and cancer progression. MAPK-pathway upregulation is the main event in the development and progression of human cancer, including melanoma and recent studies have shown that MALAT1 has a significant impact on the ...
Obstructive sleep apnea disrupts gene activity throughout the day in mice
2023-05-30
The low blood oxygen levels of obstructive sleep apnea cause widespread changes in gene activity throughout the day, according to a new study in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by David Smith of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, US, and colleagues. The finding may lead to tools for earlier diagnosis and tracking of the disorder.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when the airway becomes blocked (usually by soft tissue, associated with snoring and interrupted breathing during the night), resulting in intermittent hypoxia (low blood oxygen) and disrupted sleep. ...
Researchers use ‘natural’ system to identify proteins most useful for developing an effective HIV vaccine
2023-05-30
Since it was identified in 1984 as the cause of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has infected more than 80 million people and been responsible for some 40 million deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Currently, the WHO reports more than 38 million people globally live with the retrovirus, and each year, another 1 million new cases are diagnosed. While antiretroviral therapy helps keep HIV in check, patients must stay on their medication to prevent the development of AIDS.
Scientists have spent years trying to develop an ...
Researchers identify link between alternative gene splicing and risk of alcohol use disorder
2023-05-30
INDIANAPOLIS—Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine have discovered alternative gene splicing, which occurs during gene expression, can impact a person’s risk of alcohol use disorder (AUD). They recently published their findings in Molecular Psychiatry.
“AUD is a common and complex genetic disorder that happens people experience problems related to excessive alcohol consumption,” said Rudong Li, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the YunLong Liu, PhD Laboratory and lead author of the paper. “This discovery has revealed ...
Novel approach significantly improves access, decreases wait times for autism screening
2023-05-30
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, May 30, 2023
Contact: Gina DiGravio, 617-358-7838, ginad@bu.edu
Novel Approach Significantly Improves Access, Decreases Wait Times for Autism Screening
Developmentally Trained-Primary Care Clinicians can reduce disparities for children referred for developmental evaluation
(Boston)—Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social communication and the presence of repetitive and restricted behaviors or interests. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends autism-specific screening at 18- and 24-month well-child visits, yet earlier diagnosis has been shown to ...
Illinois professor examines lasting legacy of al-Andalus for Arabs, Muslims today
2023-05-30
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Before it was home to Spain and Portugal, much of the Iberian Peninsula was ruled by a succession of Islamic dynasties for almost 800 years during the Middle Ages. Known as al-Andalus, its influence is still reflected in art and politics today – not only in Spain and North Africa, but also in places far from the historical site of al-Andalus.
Eric Calderwood, a comparative and world literature professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, wrote about that influence and how it is used to make sense of the present in his new book, “On Earth or in Poems: ...
Astronomers discover planets in NASA Kepler's final days of observations
2023-05-30
A team of astrophysicists and citizen scientists have identified what may be some of the last planets NASA’s retired Kepler space telescope observed during its nearly decade-long mission.
The trio of exoplanets – worlds beyond our solar system – are all between the size of Earth and Neptune and closely orbit their stars.
''These are fairly average planets in the grand scheme of Kepler observations,” said Elyse Incha, a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “But they’re exciting because Kepler observed them during its last few days of operations. It showcases just how good Kepler was at planet hunting, even at the end of its ...
Matthew Bailes, Duncan Lorimer and Maura McLaughlin receive the 2023 Shaw Prize in Astronomy
2023-05-30
The Shaw Prize in Astronomy 2023 is awarded in equal shares to Matthew Bailes, Director of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery, Duncan Lorimer, Professor and Interim Chair of Physics and Astronomy and Associate Dean for Research at Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University, USA and Maura McLaughlin, Eberly Family Distinguished Professor at the Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia University, USA, for the discovery ...
Are pandemic lockdowns and vaccinations complements or substitutes? Lessons learned from COVID-19 should be considered in future pandemics
2023-05-30
Worldwide, one of the initial responses to the COVID-19 virus was locking down parts of the economy to reduce social interactions and the virus’s spread. Now, the development and production of vaccines have largely replaced broad lockdowns. In a new study that considered epidemiology and economics, researchers sought to determine how the arrival of vaccines should affect the duration and intensity of lockdown policies. They concluded that boosting the rate of vaccine use influences intensity and duration of lockdowns, depending on a variety of factors.
The study was conducted by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, ...
To boost health care teams’ effectiveness, integrate organizational sciences research with technology development
2023-05-30
Health care organizations today are caring for patients with increasingly complex needs and leveraging larger teams that include clinicians with diverse and specialized expertise. At the same time, high turnover and labor shortages mean that facilities frequently employ a more temporary and mobile workforce. In a new commentary, researchers point out that, as a result, “the structure of health care teams often defies decades of wisdom from team-design research about the conditions that support the best possible performance.”
The article was written ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Lurie Children’s campaign urges parents to follow up right away if newborn screening results are abnormal
Does drinking alcohol really take away the blues? It's not what you think
Speed of risk perception is connected to how information is arranged
High-risk pregnancy specialists analyze AI system to detect heart defects on fetal ultrasound exams
‘Altar tent’ discovery puts Islamic art at the heart of medieval Christianity
Policy briefs present approach for understanding prison violence
Early adult mortality is higher than expected in US post-COVID
Recycling lithium-ion batteries cuts emissions and strengthens supply chain
Study offers new hope for relieving chronic pain in dialysis patients
How does the atmosphere affect ocean weather?
Robots get smarter to work in sewers
Speech Accessibility Project data leads to recognition improvements on Microsoft Azure
Tigers in the neighborhood: How India makes room for both tigers and people
Grove School’s Arthur Paul Pedersen publishes critical essay on scientific measurement literacy
Moffitt study finds key biomarker to predict KRASG12C inhibitor effectiveness in lung cancer
Improving blood transfusion monitoring in critical care patients: Insights from diffuse optics
Powerful legal and financial services enable kleptocracy, research shows
Carbon capture from constructed wetlands declines as they age
UCLA-led study establishes link between early side effects from prostate cancer radiation and long-term side effects
Life cycles of some insects adapt well to a changing climate. Others, not so much.
With generative AI, MIT chemists quickly calculate 3D genomic structures
The gut-brain connection in Alzheimer’s unveiled with X-rays
NIH-funded clinical trial will evaluate new dengue therapeutic
Sound is a primary issue in the lives of skateboarders, study shows
Watch what you eat: NFL game advertisements promote foods high in fat, sodium
Red Dress Collection Concert hosted by Sharon Stone kicks off American Heart Month
One of the largest studies on preterm birth finds a maternal biomarker test significantly reduces neonatal morbidities and improves neonatal outcomes
One of the largest studies of its kind finds early intervention with iron delivered intravenously during pregnancy is a safe and effective treatment for anemia
New Case Western Reserve University study identifies key protein’s role in psoriasis
First-ever ethics checklist for portable MRI brain researchers
[Press-News.org] Quest for alien signals in the heart of the Milky Way takes offIf an alien civilization wanted to communicate with other civilizations throughout the Milky Way, the galaxy’s core holds potential as a strategic site for a beacon