Humanity has always wondered whether we are alone in the universe. Over the past decades scientists and astronomers tried to communicate with whom ever is out there. sending messages into space involves a combination of technology, physics, and careful planning to ensure that the messages can be transmitted, received, and understood across the vast distances of the cosmos. Here are 5 messages we sent into space
Pioneer plaques
These were attached to the Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11 spacecraft, which were launched in the early 1970s. The plaques depict a schematic diagram of hydrogen atoms, a map showing the location of Earth relative to pulsars, and figures of a human male and female.
Voyager Golden Records
Launched aboard the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1977, these golden records contain sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth. They include greetings in 55 languages, music from different cultures, natural sounds, and images of Earth and its inhabitants.
Arecibo message
Transmitted from the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico in 1974, this binary-encoded message was aimed at the globular star cluster Messier 13 (M13). It contains information about human DNA, the structure of DNA, the population of Earth, and a depiction of the Arecibo telescope itself.
METI messages:
Messages have been intentionally transmitted into space as part of the METI (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence) project. These messages typically include basic information about humanity, such as mathematical concepts, scientific principles, and cultural elements.
The Europa Clipper
The Europa Clipper will launch towards Jupiter on 2024. “The content and design of Europa Clipper’s vault plate are swimming with meaning,” says Lori Glaze, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA, in a statement. “The message of connection through water, essential for all forms of life as we know it, perfectly illustrates Earth’s tie to this mysterious ocean world we are setting out to explore.”
