Big Ear was a large radio telescope located in Ohio, designed to detect radio waves from space. It was primarily used for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) and operated from 1963 until 1998. The telescope's unique design allowed it to scan large areas of the sky for signals that could indicate the presence of intelligent life beyond Earth. The facility gained fame for its role in the Wow! signal, a strong radio signal detected in 1977 that remains unexplained. Although Big Ear is no longer operational, its contributions to astronomy and the search for alien life continue to be recognized in scientific communities.