This site maybe of interest...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
It allows you to download a client (nearly all platforms & OS's supported)
which connects to the US SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)
central computer, download a chunk of data from their radio telescope and
use your PC to process the results. OK so actually you are just using your
valuable CPU time to do SETI's work for them but you do get a nifty
screensaver
which displays your results ;-)
The blurb from the official site:
"SETI@ is a scientific experiment that will harness the power of
hundreds of thousands of Internet-connected computers in the Search for
Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). You can participate by running a
program that downloads and analyzes radio telescope data. There's a small
but captivating possibility that your computer will detect the faint murmur
of a civilization beyond Earth."
Well you never know I suppose...
On similar lines (but not SF related) you can connect to distributed.net
and download a client to help them crack the RC5-64 encryption algorithm.
http://www.distributed.net/
The advantage of this one is that if your computer happens to process the
correct key you get 2000 dollars.
enjoy!
Paul.
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
It allows you to download a client (nearly all platforms & OS's supported)
which connects to the US SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)
central computer, download a chunk of data from their radio telescope and
use your PC to process the results. OK so actually you are just using your
valuable CPU time to do SETI's work for them but you do get a nifty
screensaver
which displays your results ;-)
The blurb from the official site:
"SETI@ is a scientific experiment that will harness the power of
hundreds of thousands of Internet-connected computers in the Search for
Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). You can participate by running a
program that downloads and analyzes radio telescope data. There's a small
but captivating possibility that your computer will detect the faint murmur
of a civilization beyond Earth."
Well you never know I suppose...
On similar lines (but not SF related) you can connect to distributed.net
and download a client to help them crack the RC5-64 encryption algorithm.
http://www.distributed.net/
The advantage of this one is that if your computer happens to process the
correct key you get 2000 dollars.
enjoy!
Paul.