My Science Fair Project-The Ultimate SETI@Home Computer

Since 1984, the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute has been monitoring radio signals from space, hoping to find a message from intelligent aliens in our galaxy. Is this a wild goose chase? Possibly, but not necessarily. Mathematical formulae like Drake’s Equation, which calculate the possibility of alien life based on the abundance of resources, have demonstrated that extraterrestrials are likely to exist.
SETI is largely a volunteer organization, and it doesn’t have enough computing power in its labs to process the massive of amount of data it receives from the Arecibo radio telescope in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, so it lets volunteers process the data on their home computers. In this effort, called SETI@Home, enthusiast’s desktops analyze as much signal information as possible while they aren’t in use, then send the data back to SETI via the internet, sorted into radio interference and possible extraterrestrial signals.
The goal of the science fair project will be to research SETI and build the perfect SETI@Home computer. The computer will be tested rigorously for speed and efficiency in processing SETI data and running other community-service programs. Other computers with different specifications, including Hal Rogoff’s dual processor workstation, will also run SETI@Home and have their results compared to the project computer. Adaptations to the computer will include cutting edge technology like a socket 775 motherboard, 3.4 Gigahertz processor and a Gigabyte internet card. Other components will be selected to optimize the machines SETI@Home speed. Results and observations from the experiment will be recorded on a weblog at
SETI@Home breaks information into work units to be sent to home computers and processed. The project machine is expected to process one unit approximately every three hours, putting it near the top SETI’s pack.