Disclaimer

Much of the material on these pages and in the programs about Extraterrestrial Life that I give to libraries and educational institutions is based on my work and study at the American Museum of Natural History where I am a guide emeritus and special projects editor for the Volunteer Department. This page, however, is the product of my own studies and is not an official site of or for the Museum. This page represents my passion for the subject and my volunteer work at the AMNH.

Jill Tarter and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Jill Tarter (born 1944) has spent more than 50 years working on a Holy Grail search for life beyond planet Earth. Tarter, an astronomer and co-founder of the SETI Institute in California, is also the inspiration for Ellie Arroway, the alien-hunting protagonist of Carl Sagan’s 1985 classic novel Contact and the award-winning 1997 Jodie Foster film adaptation. While Sagan and his friends were popularizing the mysteries of the universe in books and television, Tarter was working behind the scenes, spending countless hours managing underfunded telescopes, fundraising for projects, publishing paper after paper, and trying to convince skeptics that the search for extraterrestrial life, this strange new field, was worth it.

Recommended Media

Jill Tarter: Overview

Jill Tarter received her Bachelor of Engineering Physics Degree with Distinction from Cornell University and her Master’s Degree and a Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of California, Berkeley. She served as Project Scientist for NASA’s SETI program, the High-Resolution Microwave Survey, and has conducted numerous observational programs at radio observatories worldwide. Since the termination of funding for NASA’s SETI program in 1993, she has served in a leadership role to secure private funding to continue the exploratory science. Currently, she serves on the management board for the Allen Telescope Array, an innovative array of 350 (when fully realized) 6-m antennas at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory. the Array will simultaneously survey the radio universe for known and unexpected sources of astrophysical emissions and speed up the search for radio emissions from other distant technologies by orders of magnitude. Tarter’s work has brought her wide recognition in the scientific community, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from Women in Aerospace, two Public Service Medals from NASA, Chabot Observatory’s Person of the Year award (1997), Women of Achievement Award in the Science and Technology category by the Women’s Fund and the San Jose Mercury News (1998), and the Tesla Award of Technology at the Telluride Tech Festival (2001). She was elected an AAAS Fellow in 2002 and a California Academy of Sciences Fellow in 2003. In 2004 Time Magazine named her one of the Time 100 most influential people in the world, and in 2005 Tarter was awarded the Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization at Wonderfest, the biannual San Francisco Bay Area Festival of Science. Tarter is deeply involved in the education of future citizens and scientists. In addition to her scientific leadership at NASA and SETI Institute, Tarter was the Principal Investigator for two curriculum development projects funded by NSF, NASA, and others. The first, the Life in the Universe series, created 6 science teaching guides for grades 3-9 (published 1994-96). Her second project, Voyages Through Time, is an integrated high school science curriculum on the fundamental theme of evolution in six modules: Cosmic Evolution, Planetary Evolution, Origin of Life, Evolution of Life, Hominid Evolution and Evolution of Technology (published 2003). Tarter is a frequent speaker for science teacher meetings and at museums and science centers, bringing her commitment to science and education to both teachers and the public. Many people are now familiar with her work as portrayed by Jodie Foster in the movie Contact. © Seti Institute In 2011, Tarter delivered a talk--"Intelligent Life in the Universe: Is Anybody Out There?"--at the first Starmus Festival in the Canary Islands. The Festival, founded by astronomer Garik Israelian, was a blend of astronomy, allied sciences, music, and art. Tarter subsequently joined the Starmus Board of Directors, along with Israelian, astrophysicist Brian May (who is also founding guitarist of the rock group Queen), theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, and others. Her 2011 talk was published in the book Starmus: 50 Years of Man in Space. Tarter is also a member of the CuriosityStream Advisory Board. In May 2013, the Science Laureates of the United States Act was introduced into Congress. Tarter was listed by one commentator as a possible nominee for the position of Science Laureate. After being re-introduced in 2017, the bill was killed by House of Representatives in 2018. In 2017, science journalist Sarah Scoles published a biography of Tarter and a history of SETI, called Making Contact: Jill Tarter and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. (Adapted from Wikipedia) In Making Contact, Scoles examines the science behind the work that tries to answer the question, “Are we alone?” Jill was the inspiration for the character of Ellie Arroway in Carl Sagan’s Contact, a role played by Jodie Foster in the film....Scoles tells Jill’s story, and also begins to wonder how a new generation of SETI research will look. "A fictional story about SETI, partly inspired by Tarter, has spurred so many people's interests in astronomy and life in the universe,” said Scoles. “I hope the nonfictional tale of the actual search and the actual Tarter can do something similar." Scoles suggests that without Jill, SETI programs, including the SETI Institute’s Allen Telescope Array (ATA) and Breakthrough Listen might not exist. Additionally, funding for SETI research has always been a challenge to obtain. Indeed, the SETI Institute’s own SETI program is funded entirely through private donations and receives no government support. Jill’s ongoing efforts continue to make groundbreaking SETI research possible. “Jill is not only a SETI pioneer, and world-class astronomer, her life and work have served as inspiration for an entire new generation of women in science, including many here at the SETI Institute” said Institute CEO, Bill Diamond. “Her toughness, tenacity and perseverance in a male-dominated field of enquiry are fully explored in this captivating biography of a scientist possessed by what is perhaps humankind’s greatest quest – answering that singular question – Are we alone?” © SETI Institute
Jill Tarter and Peter Backus
The Allen Telescope Array

SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence)

The SETI Institute was incorporated as a 501(c)3 California Non-Profit Corporation on November 20, 1984. The inaugural officers of the Institute were CEO Thomas Pierson and SETI scientist Jill Tarter. The Institute began operations on February 1, 1985. Prior to the inception of the SETI Institute, NASA was funding a small project in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. John Billingham, Chief of Life Sciences at NASA Ames Research Center and Bernard (Barney) Oliver, formerly of Hewlett-Packard invited Tom Pierson and others into discussions about maximizing the effectiveness of the funds, and ways of putting more money into the research and less into institutional overhead. These discussions led to the concept of a dedicated non-profit research organization focused on research and education around the factors of the Drake Equation. This vision was realized in the 1984 incorporation of the SETI Institute. The newly-formed SETI Institute’s first Trustees were Frank Drake, Andrew Fraknoi, Roger Heyns, and William Welch. Over the years, such well-known figures as Carl Sagan, Lew Platt, and Nobel Prize winners Baruch Blumberg and Charles Townes have served on the Board of Trustees. Jill Tarter is currently a Trustee of the Institute. The first grant-funded proposal at the Institute was for SETI research, led by Jill Tarter. Following shortly thereafter, the first astrobiology grant (then known as exobiology) was received, with Harold Klein as the Principal Investigator. Hundreds of research and education grants have been successfully managed at the SETI Institute since those first few awards. Founder and CEO Tom Pierson helmed the SETI Institute from its inception until ill health overtook him in 2013. He passed away in 2014. Acting CEO Edna DeVore led the Institute until she was succeeded by President and CEO David Black in 2014, who served for a year. Current President and CEO Bill Diamond took charge in June 2015. New directions for the SETI Institute have led to a restructuring of the operations of the Institute, folding the SETI research program into the larger science umbrella of the Carl Sagan Center. Nathalie Cabrol holds the position of Director of the Carl Sagan Center. Simon Steel is the Senior Director of Education and STEM Programs, while Pamela Harman and Rebecca McDonald are Director of Education and Director of Communications, respectively. Education and Public Outreach has always been an integral part of the Institute, including space science and astrobiology curricula for formal and informal education, the popular radio show/podcast Big Picture Science, the SETI Talks lecture series, public lectures by scientists, and popular science writing. Outreach to the general public via social media and other efforts has received new emphasis as the Institute looks forward to continuing its mission to explore the possibilities of life in the universe and share discoveries with the public.
Jill Tarter and Jodie Foster

Tarter Web Resources: Print

SETI Web Resources: Print

OVERVIEW OF SEARCH: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_for_extraterrestrial_intelligence OVERVIEW OF SEARCH: https://www.planetary.org/sci-tech/seti NASA OVERVIEW: https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanets/can-we-find-life/ SEARCH FOR LIFE AS WE DON'T KNOW IT: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-search-for-extraterrestrial-life-as-we-dont-know-it/ OVERVIEW: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5111820/ ET SIGNAL FROM PROXIMA CENTAURI: https://www.space.com/proxima-centauri-signal-breakthrough-listen-pete-worden-interview?utm_source=notificationINCREASING SEARCH FOR ET (EarthSky.org): https://earthsky.org/space/analytical-breakthrough-seti-expand-search-200-timesCARL SAGAN/FRANK DRAKE ON SEARCH FOR ET (Scientific American, 1997): https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-search-for-extraterre/SEARCH FOR ET (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_for_extraterrestrial_intelligenceSETI (SETI Institute website): https://www.seti.org/

AMNH Resources

Tarter Web Resources: Video

TARTER AND HER FATHER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBTMFkzVq8U TARTER AND "CONTACT": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-akFLFLgAk&t=2s TARTER ON THE SEARCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVlUy77d-MU TARTER AND SETI (NASA video; 53 minutes): https://www.nasa.gov/ames/ocs/2014-summer-series/jill-tarter TED TALK (21 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EszGIvRdgTE Q & A on WIRED (13 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoL4IlCXDsM ANIMATED TED TALK (7.5 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AnLznzIjSE&t=307s BLUEDOT FESTIVAL INTERVIEW (53 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNEvuhvYCd0 CLOSER TO TRUTH INTERVIEW (12 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I82rN8PODIM TARTER AND SAGAN (NOVA's Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers; 3.5 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-akFLFLgAk SETI INSTITUTE SYMPOSIUM (1 hr, 35 mins): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQgTWjyT1sQ

SETI Web Resources: Video

**AMNH RESOURCES: https://www.amnh.org/content/search?SearchText=The+search+for+extraterrestrial+life THE SEARCH FOR ET (Bloomberg): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7iJ_u9IV1M SETI INSTITUTE SYMPOSIUM (Are We Alone? The Search for Life in the Universe: I hr, 10 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T5r0lAdhfM SETI INSTITUTE SYMPOSIUM (The Consequences of Finding ET's Signal: 1 hr, 22 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVxJ1Ev2hmU SETI INSTITUTE SYMPOSIUM (Where should we look for ET? 42 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25i1FyBpsN8 KHAN INSTITUTE (History of search; 11 minutes): https://www.khanacademy.org/computing/computer-science/informationtheory/moderninfotheory/v/seti
Will we ever find proof of ancient civilizations?
What will alien life look like?
Explorers

What We Look For and How:

• https://theconversation.com/seti-how-were-searching-for-alien-life-at-previously-unexplored-frequencies-218506 • https://airandspace.si.edu/air-and-space-quarterly/issue-11/search-for-extraterrestrial-intelligence#: • https://www.seti.org/research/seti/#: • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_for_extraterrestrial_intelligence Scientists search for extraterrestrial life by looking for both biosignatures and technosignatures. Biosignatures are the chemical or physical signs of life, like the presence of specific gases in a planet's atmosphere. Technosignatures are the technological "fingerprints" of advanced civilizations, such as unusual radio signals. SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) programs use radio telescopes to scan the skies for these signals. 1. Biosignatures: Atmospheric Gases: Scientists analyze the atmospheres of exoplanets (planets orbiting other stars) for gases like oxygen, methane, or ozone, which could be indicators of life. Other Chemical Traces: They also look for other chemical traces in planetary atmospheres that might be uniquely produced by life. Challenges: Distinguishing between gases produced by geological processes and those produced by life is a challenge. 2. Technosignatures: Radio Signals: SETI focuses on detecting artificial radio signals that might be transmitted by another civilization. Advanced Technology: This includes signals that are narrow-band, concentrated at a specific frequency, and potentially modulated in a way that is not natural. Laser Signals: Scientists are also exploring the possibility of detecting laser signals from other civilizations. Megastructures: Another area of interest is the detection of large-scale structures built by an advanced civilization, such as Dyson spheres. 3. How SETI Searches: Radio Telescopes: SETI uses powerful radio telescopes like the Allen Telescope Array in California and the Green Bank Telescope https://www.planetary.org/articles/how-do-humans-try-to-communicate-with-aliens in West Virginia. Targeted and Wide-Sky Surveys: Some searches focus on specific stars or star systems, while others scan large areas of the sky. Signal Processing: Advanced computer algorithms analyze the data from the telescopes, searching for unusual signals. 4. Challenges: Distance: The vast distances to other star systems make it difficult to detect faint signals. Radio Interference: Human-made radio signals can interfere with the search. Unknown Signals: We don't know what form a signal from another civilization might take, making it challenging to identify. 5. Future Directions: New Telescopes and Technologies: Next-generation telescopes and advanced signal processing techniques are constantly being developed to improve the search. Expanding the Search: Scientists are exploring a wider range of frequencies and signal types, as well as expanding the search to include other potential indicators of life.

Frank Drake and The Equation

OBITUARY (2022): https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/05/science/space/frank-drake-dead.html DRAKE EQUATION: https://www.seti.org/research/seti-101/drake-equation/
The Drake Equation has been called the second most important equation in science. How many alien societies exist and are detectable? The Drake Equation is a step toward the answer. Frank Drake created the equation to be part of the agenda for a meeting of experts held in West Virginia in 1961 and it serves as a roadmap for astrobiology to this day.It’s a probabilistic equation for estimating the number of extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy with technology that can be detected by humans. It estimates N, the number of transmitting societies in the Milky Way galaxy. The terms are defined as follows: N: The number of civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy whose electromagnetic emissions are detectable.R*: The rate of formation of stars suitable for the development of intelligent life (number per year).Fp: The fraction of those stars with planetary systems.Ne: The number of planets, per solar system, with an environment suitable for life.Fl: The fraction of suitable planets on which life actually appears.Fi: The fraction of life bearing planets on which intelligent life emerges.Fc: The fraction of civilizations that develop a technology that produces detectable signs of their existence.L: The average length of time such civilizations produce such signs (years).