The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Catalog description

This course offers a broad exploration of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) as a subfield of astrobiology. It includes a survey of background astronomy and radio engineering concepts necessary to read and analyze the professional literature on the topic, including foundational works and the state-of-the-art. It takes a broad view of SETI, including communication SETI (i.e. radio and optical searches), artifact SETI (search for non-communicative evidence of engineering), and a critical analysis of the assumptions and potential biases inherent in past and current SETI efforts. It also includes discussion of SETI's place in the popular, political, and scientific landscapes.