For those of you unfamiliar with the SETI project, let us
first explain it. SETI stands for Search for
ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence, and uses
large antennae to receive radio signals from space. These
signals are then processed by supercomputers to attempt to locate
patterns which would signal the existence of intelligent beings
elsewhere in the universe.
And now you too can join the search!. The SETI computers
cannot handle the large amounts of data, and so the researchers
are writing a screensaver which will be distributed over the internet.
Individuals will be able to download collected data and whenever
the computer is inactive, the data will be analyzed and then sent
back to the SETI team.