Radcliffe hears from astronomer Jill Tarter on search for intelligent life
The question of whether we’re alone in the universe has haunted humankind for thousands of years, and it’s one astronomer Jill Tarter has tried to answer for much of her life. Tarter, chair emeritus of the Center for SETI Research, worked as a project scientist for NASA’s SETI program, which aimed to detect transmissions from alien intelligence. She currently serves on the board for the Allen Telescope Array, a group of more than 350 telescopes north of San Francisco. “We are looking for signals at some frequency, some wavelength that don’t look like what Mother Nature produces,” she said in 2014. Tarter, an inspiration behind the novel and film “Contact,” visited campus last month to participate in the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study’s science symposium “The Undiscovered,” which addressed how scientists “explore realities they cannot anticipate.” We spoke with her about her work and why it matters. Q&A Jill Tarter GAZETTE: When did you first...