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SETI Hangs Up Phone Line to ET

Budget cuts force institute to shut down search for extraterrestrial life

By John Johnson,  Newser Staff

Posted Apr 27, 2011 1:18 PM CDT

(Newser) – Budget cuts have forced the SETI Institute in California to shut down its famous search for extraterrestrial life, reports the San Jose Mercury News. The institute can no longer afford to operate its Allen Telescope Array, which has been scanning outer space for sign of communication since 2007. As a result, it's been in what the institute calls "hibernation" since April 15.

"There is a huge irony that a time when we discover so many planets to look at, we don't have the operating funds to listen," said SETI's director, referring to the dozens of new planets spotted by the Kepler telescope. Billionaire Paul Allen provided much of the money to build the system in the first place, but the costs of day-to-day operations are proving too much now that the National Science Foundation and the state of California have slashed contributions, notes Live Science.

SETI's Allen Telescope Array in Hat Creek, Calif.
SETI's Allen Telescope Array in Hat Creek, Calif.   (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 15 comments
Guest1
Apr 28, 2011 12:21 AM CDT
but they're out there!
HappyHabenero
Apr 27, 2011 9:26 PM CDT
Were sorry the number you are trying to reach is no longer in service. Please hang up and try again. .......After 2012
MoTeR_MoUtH
Apr 27, 2011 7:53 PM CDT
Oh, ok, now THAT'S just great!! Now I'll NEVER get my Reeces Pieces back from Gerdie's ODD FRIEND!!! What's next? Hubble's Gyroscope?!?

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