We are thrilled to share some historic news from the SETI@home project - an initiative that has been close to our hearts since the beginning.

Two major papers on SETI@home have been accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal, one of the most respected scientific journals in the field. These papers represent the culmination of more than two decades of volunteer computing, scientific innovation, and global collaboration.

📄 The Papers

1️⃣ SETI@home: Data Acquisition and Front-End Processing
This paper describes how SETI@home collected data from radio telescopes, split it into manageable chunks, and distributed it to millions of volunteers worldwide (including us!). It covers the different detection types, their parameters, and the algorithms that powered the search for extraterrestrial signals.

2️⃣ SETI@home: Data Analysis and Findings
The second paper focuses on what happened after all that data was crunched. It introduces Nebula, SETI@home’s backend system for candidate analysis, RFI (radio frequency interference) removal, and signal ranking. It also discusses how artificial test signals ("birdies") were used to tune and validate the analysis methods.

🔭 A New Level of Scientific Rigor

These papers are not just technical reports. They rigorously examine the project’s ability to detect extraterrestrial signals, define what "candidate sensitivity" means, and outline lessons learned for future sky surveys.

In a way, they close a monumental chapter and validate the massive volunteer effort that powered SETI@home for so many years - an effort that included many, many years of processing time from our team.

💙 A Special Moment for BOINC Synergy

Our team, originally known as SETI Synergy, was formed specifically to support SETI@home’s mission to search for intelligent life beyond Earth. We have been contributing work units since the earliest days and have watched the project evolve from a bold experiment to a groundbreaking citizen science phenomenon.

The publication of these papers feels like a shared victory. It gives deep meaning to the CPU cycles, electric bills, and collective enthusiasm that fueled SETI@home for over two decades.

🌌 Looking Ahead

There’s still more to come. SETI@home is collaborating with the FAST telescope in China to reobserve the top 92 candidate signals identified by Nebula. While it’s unlikely we will discover an extraterrestrial beacon this time, the work continues to push the boundaries of science and inspire future generations.

💬 Reflecting on Our Shared Journey

As David Anderson beautifully put it, SETI@home represents “a million people reaching out together into space, hoping to find other minds.” We at BOINC Synergy are proud to have been part of that journey.

To all our members past and present - thank you for your dedication, passion, and belief in the search for something greater. Let’s celebrate this milestone together and look forward to the next chapter in humanity’s quest to answer one of the biggest questions: Are we alone?

Read David Anderson's full announcement here:
🔗 SETI@home forum announcement