SETI is holding a game jam

Looking for the chance to combine your desire to discover extra terrestrial life and make video games? Today is your lucky day.

The SETI Institute, which explores the origins of life and hunts for life on other planets, has announced the SETI-JAM. The aim of the event is to create games themed on the Drake Equation – that’s the calculation that estimates the number of ‘communicative extra-terrestrial civilizations’ in the Milky Way galaxy.

Participants will be able to tap the brains of over 70 scientists and will be free to create titles of any genre. The only stipulation is that genuine SETI data is integrated.

At The SETI Institute we have a passion for discovery and for sharing knowledge with the world,” SETI’s director of special projects Karen Randall said. We see gaming as a terrific vehicle to engage with the public on real science and research.

By giving game developers direct access to our scientists and research we hope to kick-start a new effort using games to bring real science to the public. We can’t wait to see what the devs can come up with.”

SETI-JAM will take place between October 17th-19th at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California. You can sign up here.