A Message From Earth
Explanation:
What are these Earthlings trying to tell us?
The above message was broadcast from
Earth towards the
globular star cluster
M13 in 1974.
During the dedication of the
Arecibo Observatory - still
the largest single radio telescope in the world - a string of 1's and 0's
representing the above diagram was sent.
This attempt at extraterrestrial communication was mostly ceremonial -
humanity regularly broadcasts radio and television signals
out into space accidentally.
Even were
this message received, M13 is so far away we would
have to wait almost 50,000 years to hear an answer.
The
above
message gives a few simple facts about humanity and its
knowledge:
from left to right are numbers from one to ten, atoms including
hydrogen and
carbon,
some interesting molecules,
DNA, a human with description, basics of our
Solar System, and
basics of the sending telescope.
Several
searches
for extraterrestrial intelligence are currently underway, including
one where you can
use your own home computer.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
