Aliens abound on the movie screens, but in reality we are still trying to find out if we share our universe with other sentient creatures.
Jill Tarter, Ph.D., director of the Center for SETI (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Research, will talk about the scientific observations that have been made to answer the question “Are We Alone?” at Vanderbilt University on Friday, April 24. Tarter will deliver the annual Seyfert Memorial Lecture at 4 p.m. in the Stevenson Center, Room 4309. The lecture is free and open to the public.
“SETI is an attempt to detect evidence of another distant technology. If we find such evidence, we will infer the existence of intelligent technologists,” said Tarter. “In addition to looking for radio signals, we’ve recently begun looking for very short optical pulses as well. As our own technology matures, we may try other means of searching, and we will certainly improve upon the searches that we are already conducting. Guiseppi Cocconi and Philip Morrison ended their 1959 seminal paper on SETI with the statement, ‘The probability of success is difficult to estimate; but if we never search, the chance of success is zero.’ This remains true today.”
Tarter was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2004 by TIME magazine. The character played by Jodie Foster in the movie taken from Carl Sagan’s novel Contact was based on Tarter’s career.
“Jill Tarter is an excellent scientist and a fascinating speaker about the search for life in the universe,” said Rick Chappell, executive director of the Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory. “She has received international recognition for her work in radio astronomy, and we are privileged to have her with us at Vanderbilt.”
The Seyfert Lecture is an annual honorary lecture in astronomy and space exploration in memory of Carl Seyfert, professor of astronomy at Vanderbilt. Seyfert was principally responsible for the construction of the Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory and was a successful researcher in the study of galaxies.
The Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory serves as a community resource to inspire student and public interest in science and exploration. It is also a venue for public, private and corporate events. Each year, Dyer hosts thousands of visitors through school tours, exploration and telescope nights, space exploration camps and other community programs, such as Bluebird on the Mountain.
The observatory is located at 1000 Oman Drive, off Granny White Pike between Old Hickory Boulevard and Otter Creek Road, near Radnor Lake. A map with information and directions is available at www.dyer.vanderbilt.edu/directions.htm.
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