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Alien-hunting Breakthrough Listen project to scan a million stars near Earth

A general view of one of a 64-dish radio telescope system is seen during an official unveiling ceremony on July 13, 2018 in Carnarvon. - South Africa on July 13 unveiled the planet's super radio telescope which will be at least 50 times more powerful than any telescope on earth. Deputy President on July 13, formally unveiled the 64-dish radio telescope array in the remote and arid Karoo region of South Africa that offers prime conditions for astronomers. Named the MeerKAT, the 64 receptors are set to be integrated into a multi-nation Square Kilometre Array (SKA). (Photo by MUJAHID SAFODIEN / AFP)        (Photo credit should read MUJAHID SAFODIEN/AFP via Getty Images)
The MeerKAT radio telescope will allow an unprecedented new search for extraterrestrial life. (AFP)

The alien-hunting Breakthrough Listen initiative is to turn a hi-tech radio telescope on more than a million stars near Earth using the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa.

The telescope will search for signs of intelligent life, and will expand the number of targets searched by the privately funded project by a factor of 1,000.

One of the first targets to be observed by the new instrument will be Proxima Centauri, which has two planets which are believed to be capable of hosting life.

The team promises science results ‘in months’.

The radio telescope will scan for ‘technosignatures’ or radio transmissions which indicate the presence of intelligent life.

Dr Cherry Ng, Breakthrough Listen’s project scientist for MeerKAT, said: “I am very excited to be able to conduct a search for technosignatures using one of the most sensitive telescopes in the world.”

“It will take us just two years to search over one million nearby stars. MeerKAT will provide us with the ability to detect a transmitter akin to Earth’s brightest radio beacons out to a distance of 250 light years in our routine observing mode.”

Read more: What are fast radio bursts, and why do they look like aliens?

The astronomers and engineers on the Breakthrough Listen team have spent the last three years developing and installing the most powerful digital instrumentation ever deployed in the search for technosignature.

Breakthrough Listen is also searching for technosignatures using the Green Bank Telescope in the US, the Parkes Telescope in Australia and other telescopes around the world.

Breakthrough Listen gains access to one of the world’s most capable and sensitive radio telescopes almost 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Read more: Telescope detects 100 mysterious radio signals from billions of light years away

The ability to scan 64 targets at a time within the main field of view also improves Listen’s ability to reject interfering signals from human technology such as Earth-orbiting satellites.

Dr Fernando Camilo, chief scientist for SARAO, said: “MeerKAT has a remarkable combination of sensitivity and survey speed, which makes it a wonderful telescope for SETI.

“The telescope was planned and developed here in South Africa, and it’s very exciting that young South Africans will have the chance to be involved at the forefront of the search for life beyond Earth.”

Watch: If we heard from aliens, what would it be like?