SETI Institute Founded by Dr. Jill Tarter and Tom Pierson

The SETI Institute: How it All Began

Humans have always looked up at the night sky and wondered: Are we alone?

SETI Institute researchers are working to answer this question and lead humanity’s quest to understand the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the universe.

In the 1970s and early 1980s, NASA addressed this curiosity about life beyond Earth through programs focused on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). Early projects pioneered methods for scanning the skies for radio signals that might be a sign of technology from extraterrestrial civilizations.

When NASA canceled its SETI research funding in the 1980s, researchers needed a new plan. Led by Thomas Pierson and Jill Tarter, they decided to establish an independent, nonprofit research institute dedicated to exploring life beyond Earth. In 1984, Pierson and Tarter founded the SETI Institute to advance the search for life, intelligence, and our place in the cosmos.

What began with a few researchers is today a center for astrobiology, planetary science, astronomy, technology development and more. The SETI Institute attracted scientists who wanted to ask big questions: How did life begin? Where else could it thrive? How do we find it?

From scanning the skies with the Allen Telescope Array and LaserSETI, to supporting NASA missions and developing cutting-edge technology, the SETI Institute explores the universe from diverse perspectives. Our scientists conduct fieldwork in Earth’s extreme environments,

analyze samples in the lab and apply advanced data science to decode signals and patterns on Earth and in space. We share these discoveries through education, outreach, and citizen science, engaging curious minds of all ages. From the depths of our oceans to distant exoplanets, we follow clues that could help answer one of humanity’s enduring questions:

Are we alone?

Headquartered in Mountain View, California, the SETI Institute is home to more than 100 scientists and educators working to understand life and intelligence in the universe. We collaborate with partners worldwide, inspire new generations through education, and develop cutting-edge tools to keep humanity’s eyes and ears tuned to the stars.

As we look ahead, our mission remains the same: to ask bold questions, to explore where others haven’t, and to share our discoveries with the world.