New SETI program helps students detect signs of advanced life beyond Earth
[ad_1] In a quiet part of Northern California, where pine trees brush the sky and the hum of giant satellite dishes fills the air, something big is happening in science education. A new wave of college students is getting the chance to explore the universe — not through textbooks, but with real data from a world-class observatory. Thanks to a growing program called ARISE Lab, students and teachers from community colleges are diving deep into the science of space, radio signals, and the search for alien life. The SETI Institute, which focuses on the scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence, has expanded this groundbreaking effort. With new support from a grant by the Amateur Radio and Digital Communication Foundation, the ARISE Lab (Access to Radio Astronomy for Inclusion in Science Education) is now reaching even more classrooms across the country. Making Space Science Hands-On The main idea behind ARISE is simple: when students get to do science themselves, they understand it better and stay interested longer. “Hands-on experiences are proven to improve student engagement and retention,” …