A message to extraterrestrials is coming: Astronomers want children to create it

1 02. 04. 2019
6th international conference of exopolitics, history and spirituality

16. November 1974 sent the founders of the Institute for the Research of Alien Civilization (SETI) Carl Sagan and Frank Drake a radio message to the aliens. It was the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, the largest radio telescope of its kind at that time. The binary message was sent to Messier 13 (M13), which is a cluster of approximately 300 000 stars, distant about 25 000 light years. Now, after more than 40 years, "new message from Arecib".

Children and students make the message content to extraterrestrials

Children and students were asked to suggest its wording. Children from kindergartens to college students can compete for the opportunity to compile a report with a team of scientific mentors. First, each child must decipher the binary code from the original Arecibo message. In addition to creating a message content for extraterrestrials that may or may not be life friendly on Earth, my competition has several other goals.

“The main aim of this activity is to acquaint young people with radio astronomy technology and top exoplanetary science and to present the unique possibilities of the Arecibo Observatory. We also want to point out the possible risks of sending messages to unknown Earthlings (via social media) or extraterrestrial civilizations (via radio waves). ”

Young brains can make more meaningful messages

According to Areciba scientist Alessandra Abe Pacini, children can, with their imagination and openness, create the most meaningful message to remote forms of life. She told Space.com.

Abe Pacini wrote:

“We are sure that young brains from all over our planet will find a clever, creative and safe way to greet our possible galactic neighbors! We can't wait for the first suggestions. ”

Alessandra Abe Pacini is studying the sun and Earth's atmosphere at @NAIC Observatory. Among other things, it promotes gender equality in science.

As Abe Pacini told Vox, scientists can focus too much on details, while children think in a broader context. Scientists are sometimes so deeply involved in the details of their work that they do not see the whole picture. The different, albeit rather superficial, knowledge of the students allows for a broader perspective. Children can certainly suggest a much more important message. She noted that the winning version must take into account the risks associated with sending a message to unknown civilizations. These risks must be addressed before it is considered to be shipped.

In 1974 we have already sent a greeting to the Universe

Even Frank Drake eventually regretted his decision to send the first report from Arecib, Vox wrote. The Arecibo Observatory survived the recent devastating Hurricane Maria with only minor fixes on the 305 m wide reflector. Transferring a new message from Areciba will also help local researchers raise awareness of their work. The original report of Sagan and Drake contained coded information about the existence of the human race, our average height, appearance, DNA structure, and our location in the solar system. When the message in 1974 was sent to the Universe, it drove the audience to tears. However, Drake and Sagan knew that its meaning was largely symbolic. It would take thousands of years for us to get a confession.

However, some people do not like the idea of ​​transmitting this information to the Universe because, according to them, it can allow attacks by alien hostile civilizations and cause disaster for humanity. One of the skeptics is, for example, physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking. The idea of ​​sending a new message with a view to celebrating the 45th anniversary of the first transmission is accompanied by a critical reaction from people who point out the disregard for the response recorded on 14 August 2001.

The answer from the Universe

Two circular patterns appeared on this day near the Chilbolton Observatory in Hampshire, UK. One of the patterns, dubbed the "Arecibo Answer", resembled a pictogram contained in a message sent before 27 by Carl Sagan. But the answer came unexpectedly soon because of the assumptions that only delivering a message to M13 will take 25 000 light years if it ever gets caught. There were some staggering differences from the original in the crop pattern: for example, a new element, silicon, was added to the atomic number of the chemical elements, instead of carbon, and the human figure turned into a head with a large head and eyes.

Watch the video for more information on the differences in Arecibo answers:

Also, look at Frank Drake's explanation of why he decided to send a message to Arecibo and what he thinks of the Chilbolton grain patterns:


            

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