HelloFromEarth.net

This site is collecting messages that will be transmitted to Gliese 581d, a planet outside our Solar System which is undoubtedly the most likely we know to support life.

‘After the final message has been collected on Sunday 23 August 2009, all the messages will be collected and exported as a text file and sent to NASA‘s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, where it will be encoded into binary code, packaged and tested before transmission.’

Comments are moderated: inappropriate messages will be rejected – because if their are lifeforms, they’ll certainly understand our language and not like swearing.

So what do I say?

‘If you were face-to-face with an alien what would you say? How can we create messages that can be understood by beings on other worlds? These kinds of questions are part of the scientific prerogative of SETI (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute’s program in interstellar message composition. As yet, there’s been no incoming messages to answer. But if science fiction is anything to go by, it’s probably a good idea not to include insults or your home address.’

Phew – I’d have been lost without the program in interstellar message composition and I’m certainly glad I know not to use any personal details. Although, having said that, it seems unlikely I’ll be invaded soon. The radio signal will need to cross 20.3 light-years or 192 trillion km of interstellar space before reaching the planet. Any response will need to travel the same way back, so unless Gliesans (as they’re know to their mates) have improved communication technologies/really fast flying saucers, the soonest we could hope to receive a response would be in 42 years – that’s around 2051.

On top of that, to receive the messages Gliesians would need a earth style radio receiver and to understand them the Martian types would need the ability to interpret binary language. Yes. That’s right. The language used by earth based computers and as yet unproven as an interstellar communication tool.

I don’t mean to be cynical, but what’s wrong with Twitter?

Check out the top messages here.

Link.