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Australia To Play Strategic Role in Biggest Ever Search For Extra-Terrestrial Life (abc.net.au)

Posted by msmash on from the final-frontier dept.

Australia's role in the biggest ever search for alien life has officially begun, with the Parkes Telescope in central west NSW set to play a strategic part in the 10-year journey. From a report on ABC:The $100 million Breakthrough Listen initiative has been underway in the United States for about nine months. Overnight, the telescope -- affectionately known as the Dish -- achieved first light with an observation of an Earth-sized planet orbiting the nearest star to our Sun, Proxima Centauri. According to CSIRO program director John Reynolds, that so-called "exo-Earth" would be a good place to start looking for other life forms. "Alpha Centauri, or its little companion, Proxima Centauri, is actually the closest star to Earth -- it's only 4.3 light years away," Dr Reynolds said. "Just this year a planet was discovered around Proxima Centauri -- it's called an exo-Earth because it has some of the properties of Earth."

5 of 25 comments (clear)

  1. The Galaxy Song by Harold+Halloway · · Score: 2

    "...And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere out in space,
    'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth."

  2. Makes sense by ausekilis · · Score: 3, Funny

    If any humans know how to live in a hostile environment where damn near every animal can kill you, it's the Australians.

  3. If you're looking for aliens by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Point your telescopes at DC.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  4. Defense strategy by halivar · · Score: 2

    If the aliens are hostile, we hope they land in Australia, see the wildlife, and bug out.

  5. CSIRO is to freedom what Sauron was to sweetness by gavron · · Score: 2

    If CSIRO is involved you can bet whatever they find they'll coat it with so many layers of "intellectual property" nobody will be able to get it without paying through the nose. CSIRO is pure evil.

    http://arstechnica.com/tech-po...

    E