SETI says crypto mining is hurting search for ET

Before cryptocurrency mining became a popular pastime, a lot of computer enthusiasts donated unused CPU cycles to crowd-sourced projects like SETI or Folding@Home. Interestingly, the former is in the news today, complaining that crypto mining is hurting the search for extraterrestrial life.

BBC News reports SETI wants to expand operations at two observatories, but they're unable to get GPUs.

The Seti scientists are currently trying to improve their capacity for analysing such data at two observatories - Green Bank in West Virginia and Parkes in Australia.

But they have been hit by the GPU shortage.

"We've got the money, we've contacted the vendors, and they say, 'We just don't have them'," said Dr Werthimer.

The piece notes that other science projects are also impacted by the GPU shortage. Professor Aaron Parsons at the University of California at Berkeley needs GPUs for the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionisation Array (Hera) and he was baffled to see the price of GPUs had doubled in roughly three months time. The professor says they'll be able to weather it, but it will require an extra $32,000 out of the contingency budget.