Chapter
Sending Messages to Outer Space: Is It a Good Idea?
33:48 - 37:41 (03:52)
Sending symbolic messages into outer space through means like the Voyager spacecraft's golden records is one way of showing the universe what our world is like. However, due to the vast distances involved and the long time it would take to receive a reply, sending signals may not be practical at present.
Clips
The SETI Institute has protocols in place for announcing confirmed extraterrestrial contact.
33:48 - 35:11 (01:22)
Summary
The SETI Institute has protocols in place for announcing confirmed extraterrestrial contact. The discoverer is meant to have the honor of announcing it to the world, following a proper channel of communication which involves the astronomical community, international bodies such as the UN, and finally, the public.
ChapterSending Messages to Outer Space: Is It a Good Idea?
EpisodeSelects: How SETI Works
PodcastStuff You Should Know
Sending signals intentionally to extraterrestrial life would take too long to get a response, however unintentional signals have been sent out for over 50 years.
35:11 - 36:43 (01:32)
Summary
Sending signals intentionally to extraterrestrial life would take too long to get a response, however unintentional signals have been sent out for over 50 years. Keeping it a secret would be impossible and there would be thousands of people working on it if we were intentionally sending signals.
ChapterSending Messages to Outer Space: Is It a Good Idea?
EpisodeSelects: How SETI Works
PodcastStuff You Should Know
The last time we sent out a message to outer space was in 1974, containing gold records with information and knowledge from Earth.
36:43 - 37:41 (00:58)
Summary
The last time we sent out a message to outer space was in 1974, containing gold records with information and knowledge from Earth. However, it's still uncertain whether or not we'll be able to communicate with extraterrestrial life widely.