SETI Allen Telescope Array goes on hiatus

[shecky]

Aliens put on hold for want of $5 million subsidy:

Lacking the money to pay its operating expenses, Mountain View's SETI Institute has pulled the plug on the renowned Allen Telescope Array, a field of radio dishes that scan the skies for signals from extraterrestrial civilizations.

In an April 22 letter to donors, SETI Institute CEO Tom Pierson said that last week the array was put into "hibernation," safe but nonfunctioning, because of inadequate government support.

I guess it's a little sad to hear this, but I wasn't really on board with the whole SETI thing, anyhow.

 

[jayh]

Unfortunately, fun though the idea is, we have much more serious issues to concern ourselves with regarding what can be funded.

Not even sure why the government is involved in this anyhow.