Submitted by Telemachos & SuperEgo: In February 2003, astronomers involved in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) pointed the massive radio telescope in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, at around 200 sections of the sky. The same telescope had previously detected unexplained radio signals at least twice from each of these regions, and the astronomers were trying to reconfirm the findings. The team has now finished analysing the data, and all the signals seem to have disappeared. Except one, which has got stronger.This radio signal, now seen on three separate occasions, is an enigma. It could be generated by a previously unknown astronomical phenomenon. Or it could be something much more mundane, maybe an artefact of the telescope itself. But it also happens to be the best candidate yet for a contact by intelligent aliens in the nearly six-year history of the SETI@home project, which uses programs running as screensavers on millions of personal computers worldwide to sift through signals picked up by the Arecibo telescope.

“It’s the most interesting signal from SETI@home,” says Dan Werthimer, a radio astronomer at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) and the chief scientist for SETI@home. “We’re not jumping up and down, but we are continuing to observe it.”Named SHGb02+14a, the signal has a frequency of about 1420 megahertz. This happens to be one of the main frequencies at which hydrogen, the most common element in the universe, readily absorbs and emits energy.

View: Full Article | Source: New Scientist

I thought seti was discontinued? or was just the government funding cut?

Here's Sky's report on it;

ARE WE REALLY ALONE?

Scientists say they have discovered the best candidate yet for a "first contact" with alien lifeforms.


An unexplained radio signal was detected by the giant Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico in February last year.

It has been heard three times, for a total of about one minute, and appears to come from a point in space between the constellations of Pisces and Aries.

It originated about 31 million years ago.

The signal - known as SHGb02+14a - is described as the most exciting result of the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence Programme (SETI).

SETI has been hunting for signs of aliens for the past six years using SETI@home, which harnesses the combined power of idling PCs to analyse space signals.

Its experts have so far ruled out natural interference from Earth, satellites or background noise.

SETI scientist Eric Korpela, from the University of California at Berkeley said: "We're looking for something that screams out 'artificial'. This doesn't.

"The signal is moving rapidly in frequency. You'd expect that from a transmitter on a rapidly-rotating planet."

Radio astronomer Dan Wertheimer said: "We're not jumping up and down, but we are continuing to observe it."

New of the pulse is published in the New Scientist magazine.

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-13211336,00.html

Just the Government part was cut as far as I know. Then some scientist came along figured out how to use a quarter of the dishes and quadrupled their capacity by linking them together in a different way or something. I think this was in Discovery Magazine.

SHGb02+14a?

Why not just call it Bob?

According to THIS ARTICLE its much to do about nothing.

Interesting stuff!!! probably be an explaination for it later.

I wonder if they will cover this up too...

Does this answer some questions...

Or as MM's article states

If this is so rare, yet dismissed as nothing, then what's the point of Seti@home anyways?

I just hope that something significant comes from this signal.. it may keep the project going for a while longer.