Between a budget shortfall in California and cuts in federal funding, the ongoing “Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence” is going into hibernation mode this month. Mountain View’s SETI Institute has pulled the plug on the Allen Telescope Array, a field of radio dishes that scan space for signals from aliens. Tom Pierson, CEO of SETI Institute, sent an email to major sponsors. “Effective this week, the ATA has been placed into hibernation due to funding shortfalls for operations of the Hat Creek Radio Observatory (HCRO) where the ATA is located.” So, what is it going to take? With automakers,…