SETI Institute In the News: February Roundup 2026

Trump’s order to release evidence for aliens obscures the scientific search for extraterrestrial life

A new directive from U.S. President Donald Trump to release government files related to UFOs and unidentified anomalous phenomena has renewed public interest in extraterrestrial life, even as scientists emphasize that no evidence of alien visitation to Earth exists.

In the discussion, Bill Diamond, president and CEO of the SETI Institute, noted that while the statistical probability of life elsewhere in the universe is extremely high, credible scientific evidence of extraterrestrials visiting Earth has not been found. The announcement highlights the contrast between political rhetoric and the careful, long-term scientific search for technosignatures and other signs of life beyond our planet.

Read the full article by Scientific American: Trump’s order to release evidence for aliens obscures the scientific search for extraterrestrial life

Astronomers Say They Have Solved One of Saturn’s Greatest Mysteries

New research led by Matija Ćuk of the SETI Institute proposes a new origin story for Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, and the planet’s iconic rings. By combining Cassini spacecraft data with computer simulations, the study suggests that an ancient collision between Titan and a now-lost moon reshaped the Saturnian system.

“In this paper, I tried to put all these things together, and I propose that there was an extra moon about half a billion years ago that collided with Titan, that actually became part of Titan,” said Ćuk, a research scientist at the SETI Institute.

The impact could explain Titan’s outward migration, the unusual orbit of Saturn’s moon Hyperion, and the formation of Saturn’s rings hundreds of millions of years later.

Read the full story by CNN: Astronomers Say They Have Solved One of Saturn’s Greatest Mysteries

See Uranus Like Never Before! Scientists Capture Incredible 3D View of the Planet

Using observations from the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have created the first detailed three-dimensional map of Uranus’s upper atmosphere, revealing new insights into how energy flows through the planet and where its auroras form. Led by Paola Tiranti of Northumbria University, the study mapped the temperature and density of charged particles thousands of kilometers above the planet’s cloud tops.

Matthew Tiscareno of the SETI Institute, who was part of the research team, noted the complexity of the Uranian system: “No other planet has as many small inner moons as Uranus, and their complex interrelationships with the rings hint at a chaotic history that blurs the boundary between a ring system and a system of moons.”

Read the full article by MSN: See Uranus Like Never Before! Scientists Capture Incredible 3D View of the Planet

Astronomy Activation Ambassadors: Embracing Multiple Perspectives

The Astronomy Activation Ambassadors (AAA) program, part of NASA’s Science Activation initiative and led by the SETI Institute, supports STEM engagement by providing professional development for middle school, high school, and community college educators. Guided by SETI Institute scientists and educators including Pamela Harman, Dana Backman, and Coral Clark, the program connects teachers with astronomy research, NASA resources, and immersive observatory experiences.

Recent workshops at Maunakea in Hawai‘i and Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona combined hands-on astronomy training with cultural and historical perspectives connected to these sites. Through these experiences, educators gain new tools to bring astronomy and planetary science into their classrooms and communities.

Read the full article by NASA: Astronomy Activation Ambassadors: Embracing Multiple Perspectives