SearchLites - Vol 15 No 3

Magazine Overview

SearchLites, Volume 15, Number 3, Summer 2009, is the quarterly newsletter of The SETI League, Inc. This issue features a cover article by Douglas A. Vakoch, Ph.D., titled 'Why We Shouldn't Hide Our Problems from ET,' which questions the approach to sending messages to extraterrestrial intelligence. The newsletter also includes an editorial response, book reviews, minutes from the annual membership meeting, award announcements, and a section on upcoming conferences.

Cover Article: Why We Shouldn't Hide Our Problems from ET

Douglas A. Vakoch, Ph.D., argues that comprehensive messages to extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) should not shy away from the details of humanity, including its flaws and controversies. He suggests that an honest portrayal, acknowledging diversity and disagreements, might be more intriguing to ETI and foster a more meaningful conversation than a sanitized, one-sided story. The SETI Institute's project to collect messages from people worldwide is mentioned as a step towards a global discussion on this topic. The article notes that previous messages, like those on the Voyager spacecraft, excluded difficult aspects of human existence.

Editorial Response: Not The First Global Message to ETI

Alexander L. Zaitsev responds to Dr. Vakoch's article, highlighting past projects that have collected messages from people globally. He details Richard Braastad's activity leading up to the Cosmic Call 2003 transmissions, which included personal messages, images, audio, and video files from thousands of people in over 50 countries. He also mentions Oli Madgett's project for the AMFE-2008 transmissions, which involved selecting messages through a competition on Bebo. Zaitsev welcomes the SETI Institute to the group of organizations that have developed interstellar messages based on public input.

Minutes of the Fifteenth Annual Membership Meeting

The meeting was held on 19 April 2009, at SETI League Headquarters in Little Ferry, NJ. Key points included:

• Call to Order: Convened by Executive Director Emeritus Dr. H. Paul Shuch, with three members and one member of the press present, constituting a quorum.
• Minutes of 2008 Membership Meeting: Accepted as previously posted online.
• Treasurer's Report: Presented by the Executive Director and Secretary/Treasurer, covering the calendar year 2008. Revenues totaled $20,890, with expenses at $27,339, resulting in a deficit of ($6,389). The account balance at the end of 2008 was $4,943. The 2009 budget projected revenues of $20,950 and expenses of $23,000, with a projected deficit of ($2,050).
• Executive Director's Report: Accepted as previously posted online.
• Committee Reports: The EME Committee reported that moonbounce antennas were destroyed by high winds, and efforts are underway to develop a more robust design. The Beacon remains offline.
• Awards Committee: The 2009 Giordano Bruno Memorial Award was presented to Dr. Jill Cornell Tarter, and the 2009 Orville Greene Service Award to Prof. Alex Antonites.
• Old Business: Updates on the Very Small Array and Ostrich Farm Facility indicated no further work due to lack of funding. The recommendation to resume mid-year renewal letters was made. The 2008 Annual Report is available online.
• New Business: The SETI League will continue assisting the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA) with its annual technical conference and editing its proceedings. The next Annual Meeting is scheduled for 18 April 2010.
• Good and Welfare: A report on the status of ailing member Dr. Allen Tough was given.
• Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 13:22 hours EDT on 20 April 2008.

Book Reviews

• Deep Space Flight and Communications: Exploring the Sun as a Gravitational Lens by Claudio Maccone, reviewed by H. Paul Shuch. This book is described as a seminal work in a newly emerging field, exploring the use of the Sun as a gravitational lens for radio astronomy and discussing the challenges of space missions and signal processing techniques like the Karhunen-Loeve Transform (KLT).
• Confessions of an Alien Hunter by Seth Shostak, reviewed by Paul Gilster. The review highlights Shostak's argument for continuing SETI, emphasizing telepresence and robotic explorers for interstellar investigation. It discusses the challenges of interstellar travel and the potential of new physics, while also noting the difficulty of receiving signals from such vast distances.

Primates and Philosophers: How Morality Evolved

This section reviews Frans de Waal's book, which explores the biological foundations of human morality. De Waal argues against 'Veneer Theory,' proposing that morality evolved from primate behavior, emphasizing cooperation and care for the weak. The review notes that the book includes responses from philosophers and discusses the continuity between human and animal behavior.

SETI League Announces Annual Awards

At the Annual Meeting on 19 April 2009, The SETI League honored Dr. Jill Tarter with the Giordano Bruno Memorial Award for technical excellence in SETI, and Prof. Alex Antonites with the Orville Greene Service Award for exemplary volunteer service. Dr. Tarter's work with the Allen Telescope Array is highlighted. Prof. Antonites is recognized for his role as Regional Coordinator for South Africa and his efforts in promoting SETI.

Ask Dr. SETI

• Cosmic Background Peak Frequency Change: In response to a question about whether the peak frequency of cosmic background radiation changes over time, Dr. SETI explains that while the universe is cooling and expanding, the change in peak frequency occurs over galactic timescales and is not measurable within human lifetimes or current instrumentation capabilities.
• The Day the Earth Stood Out: Regarding the transmission of the film 'The Day The Earth Stood Still' towards Alpha Centauri, Dr. SETI explains that while theoretically possible for an infinitely advanced ETI, the practical chances of reception are extremely low due to the weak signal and the immense size of the required receiving antenna (over 3,000 km in diameter).

Event Horizon

This section lists upcoming conferences and meetings related to SETI and astronomy from June 2009 to October 2011, including various SETI League events, SARA conferences, and science fiction conventions.

Membership and Renewal Information

The back page provides details on renewing SETI League memberships, including categories, dues, and available premiums. It also offers information on how to pay via PayPal and requests address corrections.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the nature of communication with extraterrestrial intelligence, the scientific pursuit of SETI, and the exploration of fundamental questions about life, morality, and the universe. The editorial stance, as expressed through the articles and responses, encourages open discussion, rigorous scientific inquiry, and the continued exploration of SETI possibilities, even in the face of funding challenges and theoretical uncertainties. The SETI League positions itself as a membership-supported organization dedicated to the scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence, emphasizing both professional and amateur participation.