Carl Sagan Center for Research

Is there life nearby or among the stars? Whether looking for signs of life on the surface of Mars, under the ice of Jupiter’s moon Europa, or sweeping the sky for alien transmissions, SETI Institute scientists investigate the prospects for biology in our solar system and beyond.

Leading the Search for Life and Intelligence Beyond Earth

The SETI Institute is the only research organization solely devoted to searching for and studying life and intelligence beyond Earth.

Our research efforts depend on:

Ground and space-based telescopes
Radio telescopes and radio interferometers
Developing new instruments and technologies
Laboratory research
Field expeditions
Advanced data analytics

Laguna Azufrera, Chilean Altiplano. Image Credit: Nathalie Cabrol.

Scientists

Our scientists use a vast array of techniques and technologies. These include studying life in extreme environments on Earth that are analogs to the conditions on Mars or Jupiter's moon Europa; using space-based NASA telescopes such as Kepler and TESS to investigate possibly Earth-like planets orbiting other stars, and searching for technology that could be evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence. We carry out the last at our facility, the Allen Telescope Array, and at other radio telescopes such as the Very Large Array in New Mexico. LaserSETI searches for brief laser flashes originating from far beyond our solar system. In addition to these efforts to find so-called "technosignatures,” our study of the semantic content of whale songs can give insight into how we might judge whether any signals come from another intelligent species.

Major partners, such as NASA and the National Science Foundation, support the work of the CSC, as well as philanthropic foundations and private donors. Our research is published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at major scientific conferences worldwide.

ebook

Could life have existed on Mars?

The Red Planet has been a source of curiosity for scientists, writers, and anyone who spies it shining on the horizon. It’s a cold, dry world now, but could it have once been wet and green like Earth? Could life have existed on the Red Planet millions of years ago?

Learn more with this free ebook from the SETI Institute, straight to your inbox:

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SETI

SETI Research

SETI is a generic acronym that stands for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Scientists doing SETI experiments are looking for proof – not merely of life elsewhere – but of intelligent beings in other star systems.
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News

The ATA is the first radio telescope designed from the ground up to be used for SETI searches.

Our History

The SETI Institute was brought to life on November 20, 1984.

Current Projects

If we finally prove we’re not alone, will it happen because we’ve discovered flashing lights in the sky? A number of SETI researchers think it could.

Hat Creek Radio Obervatory (HCRO)

Home to the Allen Telescope Array, the only instrument designed specifically for the purpose of conducting SETI research.

Featured Research, Programs, Expeditions

Frontier Development Lab

An AI/ML applied research accelerator that is pushing frontiers of scientific research and developing new tools to help address some of humanity's biggest challenges.

InVADER Mission

InVADER (In-situ Vent Analysis Divebot for Exobiology Research), will transform the technological and operational arsenal available for future Ocean World exploration.

Unistellar Network

Leverage your eVscope's power and join a community of users to image intriguing astronomical events such as supernovae and exoplanet transits, while making a valuable contribution to research.

Biosignature Exploration

What can Earth teach us about the possibility of current or past life on Mars and how to find it? The SETI Institute’s multidisciplinary team of researchers traveled to remote areas of Chile to learn about life and habitability in extreme environments with the goal of applying that knowledge to the search for life beyond Earth.

Cameras for Allsky Meteor Surveillance

The CAMS network uses an array of low-light video surveillance cameras positioned around the world that keep a constant watch on the night sky.

Activity Reports

Over 100 scientists work at the SETI Institute’s Carl Sagan Center conducting research across almost all branches of science. Their work addresses questions around the development of life, where else in the universe it could exist and how we might find it. Further, the SETI Institute’s Center for Education develops STEM resources for children, young adults and educators. Finally, outreach activities take place every day online, in the real world and over the airwaves.