ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Space → Alien life

Your smartphone can help Stephen Hawking discover alien life

This week space fanatics were teeming with excitement after it was announced that Stephen Hawking had teamed up with Russian billionaire Yuri Milner in a quest to find extraterrestrial life.

Alexandru MicubyAlexandru Micu
July 23, 2015
in Alien life, News, Science
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

This week space fanatics were teeming with excitement after it was announced that Stephen Hawking had teamed up with Russian billionaire Yuri Milner in a quest to find extraterrestrial life.

The alien hunting duo is back and they need your help! No long hours at the office or sleepless nights lost over the telescope, all you have to do is download an app.

THE ALIEN E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL UNIVERSAL 01/05/1982 CTF17878
“ET app home”

The Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing app (listed under the adorable BOINC acronym in store) is in essence a crowdsourcing platform. It gives scientists the ability to use the spare processing power of personal devices around the world to analyze the huge amounts of data provided from two of the world’s most advanced telescopes scanning the universe for signs of alien life.

The project will record thousands of hours of data, to which the usual 36 recorded hours annually pale in comparison, and processing all of it will require a lot of computing power. President of CompTIA Todd Thibodeaux said the project will need all the extra muscle we can provide:

“In searches such as this, the more eyes you can get on the prize the better,” he told Forbes.

“Harnessing the personal interests of possibly hundreds of thousands of people makes sense and couldn’t be accomplished cost effectively any other way,” he added.

If you’re worried the app will burn through your personal data, rest easy – it only works when the device is connected via Wi-Fi. It will also only function if your smartphone is plugged in or fully charged, so as not to chew up your battery life.

However, Apple users won’t be joining in the hunt just now. Currently, the app only works on Android devices.

Aliens like candy but not fruit, presumably.

RelatedPosts

Saturn’s moon Titan most likely harbors a subsurface ocean of water
Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites are triggering a “UFO” craze
First rocky habitable Earth-like planet
Intelligent alien life hunters pick up 15 high-energy bursts far across the universe

 

Tags: alien lifealienshawking

ShareTweetShare
Alexandru Micu

Alexandru Micu

Stunningly charming pun connoisseur, I have been fascinated by the world around me since I first laid eyes on it. Always curious, I'm just having a little fun with some very serious science.

Related Posts

Alien life

Have scientists really found signs of alien life on K2-18b?

byMihai Andrei
2 months ago
{"shape": [8200, 8200, 3]}
Alien life

Are aliens real? Here’s what the scientists think

byMihai Andrei
5 months ago
News

Beaming Earth’s location with the hope of reaching aliens is a controversial idea – two teams of scientists are doing it anyway

byChris Impey
3 years ago
Exoplanets & Alien Life

What is the Drake Equation: the math that predicts how many alien civilizations are out there

byTibi Puiu
3 years ago

Recent news

The Real Singularity: AI Memes Are Now Funnier, On Average, Than Human Ones

June 13, 2025

Scientists Turn Timber Into SuperWood: 50% Stronger Than Steel and 90% More Environmentally Friendly

June 13, 2025

A Massive Particle Blasted Through Earth and Scientists Think It Might Be The First Detection of Dark Matter

June 13, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.