---
title: "SETI@home"
chunk: 4/4
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SETI@home"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T03:26:14.533285+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

SETI@home is a test bed for further development not only of BOINC but of other hardware and software (database) technology. Under SETI@home processing loads, these experimental technologies can be more challenging than expected, as SETI databases do not have typical accounting and business data or relational structures. The non-traditional database uses often do incur greater processing overheads and risk of database corruption and outright database failure. Hardware, software and database failures can (and do) cause dips in project participation.
The project has had to shut down several times to change over to new databases capable of handling more massive datasets. Hardware failure has proven to be a substantial source of project shutdowns, as hardware failure is often coupled with database corruption.

== See also ==

== References ==

== Further reading ==
Carrigan, Richard A. Jr. (2003). "The Ultimate Hacker: SETI Signals May Need to Be Decontaminated". Bioastronomy 2002: Life Among the Stars. 213. Astronomical Society of the Pacific: 519. Bibcode:2004IAUS..213..519C.
Sample, Ian (November 25, 2005). "Scientists be on guard..." The Guardian. London. Retrieved November 25, 2005.
Scoles, Sarah (May 23, 2017). "A Brief History of SETI@Home". The Atlantic.

== External links ==

Official website
SETI@home screensaver video on YouTube