Australian astronomers involved in SETI, the search for extraterrestrial
intelligence, have bought land in Boonah, north of Brisbane, and plan to build
an 18-metre radio antenna. The group hopes to receive the antenna as a donation
from the Parkes Observatory in New South Wales. Along with a redundant 7-metre
satellite dish near Wellington in New Zealand, and a third antenna in Western
Australia that has yet to be acquired, the Boonah telescope will be used for a
project called Tantalus. This will search for signs of intelligent life around
stars that are no more than 200 light years away and that can be observed only
from the southern hemisphere.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Autism may have two distinct subtypes that vary by brain activity
2
The secrets to keeping your brain sharp in old age
3
A quantum state that lasts forever may finally be within our grasp
4
Fully autonomous drones have killed human soldiers for the first time
5
Sperm have been made magnetic to allow IVF inside the body
6
Walking shark found in Papua New Guinea is new to science
7
Arctic Ocean reaches tipping point that could be dire for marine life
8
Why autism pioneer Uta Frith wants to dismantle the spectrum
9
Are useful and error-free quantum computers only two years away?
10
Why the right kind of stress is crucial for your health and happiness
