One of the most famous attempts to reach out to extraterrestrial civilizations is the Arecibo Message, sent in 1974. The message was broadcasted from the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico using its radio telescope. It was aimed at the globular star cluster M13, which is approximately 25,000 light-years away from us.
The Content of the Message
Crafted by a team led by Frank Drake and including the legendary Carl Sagan, the Arecibo Message is composed of 1,679 binary digits (ones and zeros), which can be arranged in a grid that is 73 rows by 23 columns.
The decision to use 1,679 binary digits was deliberate, as this number is a product of two prime numbers (73 and 23), a fact which should signal to the recipients that the message is not random cosmic noise but was intentionally constructed.
The message itself is divided into several parts:
- The first part represents the numbers one to ten in binary code.
- The second part includes the atomic numbers of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorus, which are the key elements of DNA.
- The third part provides a basic formula to illustrate the sugars and bases in the nucleotides of DNA.
- The fourth part is a graphical representation of DNA’s double helix structure.
- The fifth part is a stick figure of a human, along with the population of Earth and the average height of a man.
- The sixth part illustrates our solar system, showing the relative sizes of the planets and their distance from the sun.
- The final part showcases a graphic of the Arecibo radio telescope and its dimensions.
The Purpose and Legacy of the Message
It’s worth noting that the Arecibo Message was more of a symbolic gesture and demonstration of human technological achievement than a serious attempt at interstellar communication. Given that the message would take 25,000 years to reach M13, and another 25,000 years for any potential reply, it was not expected to receive a direct response.
However, the Arecibo Message remains an iconic milestone in our ongoing quest to reach out to extraterrestrial civilizations. It underscores our innate curiosity and our hope that we may not be alone in this vast universe. The idea of reaching across the cosmos, extending a hand of communication, is a testament to our collective ambition as a species to explore and understand the universe in which we live.
