through the SETI@home program, volunteers download a special SETI screensaver to their home computers. When the computers are not in use and go into screensaver mode, the computers begin to analyze data gathered by the Arecibo radio telescope. The home computers search through the data for any signals that may have been created by an alien civilization.There are currently over 5 million volunteers in 225 countries participating in this program. Wertheimer say, "If you're the lucky one that finds that distant signals,then you might get the Nobel prize, but you have to share it with 2 million people around the would who are helping us analyze that data