Is there life on other planets? Are we alone? These are two questions we have asked for centuries. Now, scientists are searching to find out if there is anybody out there. The researchers are from the SETI Institute. SETI stands for Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Its mission is, "to explore, understand and explain the origin and nature of life in the universe and the evolution of intelligence". Scientists will use new technology to scan the sky for signs of alien life. They will share their data with the public. "Citizen scientists" could spot things missed by scientists.
Astronomers will use giant radio telescopes to search for alien life. They are located all over the world. It is the first time for a project to search the entire sky for alien life. The signs are called "techno-signatures". These include alien chemicals, large amounts of oxygen, non-natural structures, and laser light. An astronomer said: "Determining whether we are alone in the universe...is among the [biggest] questions in science." Another scientist said we are getting closer to finding out if alien life exists. She said this science is no longer fiction, but "almost mainstream".