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SETI Researcher Quashes Signal Rumors

brainstyle writes "According to Dan Wertheimer of SETI the whole ET signal excitement is more hype than science. I told myself it was in all likelihood nothing special, but I'm still disappointed. Darn."

10 of 379 comments (clear)

  1. This is not a cover-up. I repeat – This is no by SeanTobin · · Score: 5, Funny
    Wow... check out these segments from the article:

    Astronomers deny ET signal report

    Astronomers have moved swiftly to quell speculation they may have received a deep-space radio signal

    It's all hype and noise

    We have nothing that is unusual. It's all out of proportion.

    It's not much of anything at all. We're not investigating it further.

    At the moment, we have no candidates that we are particularly excited about

    It's all hype. We don't have anything we are excited about.

    we have no candidates that we are particularly excited about and the new 'signal' is not a priority.

    it is not surprising that a signal like this occurs purely due to chance.

    not new and definitely not a signal


    With that much denial in one news report, you know it has to be a cover-up :).
    --
    Karma: SELECT `karma` FROM `users` WHERE `userid`=138474;
  2. And how interesting.. by AnswerIs42 · · Score: 5, Funny
    That when I first clicked the "Read More".. I see this:

    Nothing for you to see here. Please move along.

    Instead of the story..

  3. Don't be too quick to judge! by Weaselmancer · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dan, did you try to map the signal to a 3 dimensional shape? A cube maybe??

    --
    Weaselmancer
    rediculous.
    1. Re:Don't be too quick to judge! by kidgenius · · Score: 5, Funny

      Ah...you too are a firm believe in The Time Cube. But, if you believed, you should know that you cannot fully understand the Time Cube! :-)

  4. Should be safe by nizo · · Score: 5, Funny

    We should be fine as long as the signal isn't a countdown.

  5. message was real... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    It offers a free ipod.

  6. Re:Maybe not radio? by Big_Al_B · · Score: 5, Funny

    NPR? Well they're probably just saying that because, in their experience, no one is listening. :^)

  7. What if we get busted for signal theft? by markana · · Score: 5, Funny

    Or at the very least told we have to move along and vacate this planet? After all, we're receiving the signal *outside* of their planet...

    I'm just waiting for the Galactic police to show up.

  8. Re:I decoded the signal by Lispy · · Score: 5, Funny

    No, it said:
    Nmap run completed -- 1 IP address (1 host up) scanned in 62.359 years

  9. Cover Up exposed. by commodoresloat · · Score: 5, Funny

    The message has been found and translated. A text of the translation follows.

    Hello,
    I am Mr Buck Francisco, General Manager(Treasury) of Land
    Bank, Helopkino, in the Alpha Centauri System.This is an urgent and
    very confidential business proposition.

    On earth date June 6, 2000,an alien Oil consultant/contractor with
    the Alpha Centauri Institute of Mining and Metallurgy,
    Mr. Darth Vader made a numbered time(Fixed) Deposit for
    twelve earth months, valued at US$26,500,000.00,
    (Twenty-six Million, five hundred thousand of your Earth US Dollars).

    Upon maturity,I sent a routine notification to his forwarding
    address but got no reply. After a month, we sent a reminder and
    finally we discovered from his contract employers, the Centauri
    Petroleum Corporation that Mr.Darth Vader died from a spaceship
    accident.On further investigation,I found out that
    he died without making a WILL,and all attempts to trace his next
    of kin was fruitless.

    I therefore made further investigation and discovered that
    Mr.Darth Vader did not declare any kin or relations in all his
    official documents,including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my
    Bank. This sum of US$26,500,000.00 has carefully been fixed in my
    bank for safekeeping.

    No one will ever come forward to claim it.According to Helopkino
    Law,at the expiration of 5 (five) earth years, the money will revert to the
    ownership of the Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.

    Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a Alien to
    stand in as the owner of the money which was fixed deposited in my
    bank. I am writing you because I as a public servant,i cannot operate
    an alien account.

    I want to present you as the owner of the funds so you can be able to
    claim them with the help of my attorney. This is simple.I will like
    you to provide immediately your full names and address so that the
    Attorney will prepare the necessary documents which will put you in
    place as the beneficiary of the funds.

    The money will be moved out for us to share in the ratio of 80% for
    me and 20% for you. The paperwork for this transaction will be done
    by the Attorney.If you are interested, please reply immediately via
    my SETI@home address and Upon your response,I shall then provide you
    with more details and relevant documents that will help you understand
    the transaction.Please observe utmost confidentiality, and be rest
    assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of
    us because I shall require your assistance to invest my share in real
    estate within your country.

    Due to the nature of confidentiality in this Transaction our
    communication can only be via SETI.

    Awaiting your urgent reply via my email Above.

    Thanks and my regards.
    BUCK FRANCISCO.