Source: Several News Organizations

SETI, the SEARCH for EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE has suffered a big blow.
The primary ALIEN SEARCH engine – the Allen Telescope Array (ATA) in northern
California — has been shut down due to budget woes. In a letter last week,
the CEO of the SETI Institute, Tom Pierson told donors that in the ATA has
been put into “hibernation” — a safe mode of sorts, where “the equipment
is unavailable for normal observations and is being maintained in a safe
state by a significantly reduced staff.” The ATA has been in hibernation
since April 15, with the equipment put in a safe configuration so that it
stays ready to be turned back on should the SETI Institute find new sources
of funding.