Amount Quote by Jill Tarter
“The space that we're looking through is nine-dimensional. If you build a mathematical model, the amount of searching that we've done in 50 years is equivalent to scooping one 8-ounce glass out of the Earth's ocean, looking and seeing if you caught a fish. No, no fish in that glass? Well, I don't think you're going to conclude that there are no fish in the ocean. You just haven't searched very well yet. That's where we are.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Public talk on SETI, date unknown
Our search for extraterrestrial life is minuscule compared to the vastness of the cosmos, so current null are limited
In simple terms: Search efforts are tiny compared to the universe
Expand search methods and increase resources
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- astronomy research
- funding proposals
- public outreach
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What new technologies could improve detection?
- How can we allocate more resources?
Overreliance on current tech may miss signals