Spencer

Lee 4th Period Science Contact Persuasive Paper 16 March 2012 Speech to Selection Committee Hello my name is Dr. Eleanor Arroway. As the selection committee of Vegan planet traveler, you all are aware, we have been contacted through radio waves by an advanced civilization. The question many of scientists have pondered about for many years, has now been answered. We are not alone, within our spiraled galaxy. In 1960, Frank Drake a professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of California created an equation. The equation was used to estimate the number of detectable extraterrestrial civilizations there are within our Milky Way galaxy. We start of the equation with the number of the stars in our galaxy, we then implement an estimate of what fraction of those stars have planets. Then we move to the second part of the equation, in which we apply the fraction of those planets that can support life, we then add fractions of those planets that actually developed life. The last part of the equation, is adding the fraction of planets that developed intelligence, along with the percent that developed advanced civilizations. The last part is to multiply those numbers, and youll find your number of planets that are inhabited by advanced civilizations. When Drake calculated his equation, he only got 1.2, which means we likely the only advanced civilization in our galaxy. This discovery has just eradicated the number Frank Drake found with his equation. It would be just a great waste of space if it was just us. With the recent discovery of the Vega signal, we also found within the message was a broadcast of blueprints. These blue prints were three dimensional, and within the blueprints we saw a human being. We believe that these are blueprints that were intended for us to follow in order to build a transportation machine, a machine that will take us to the planet of Vega, to meet these extraterrestrial beings. So there arises another question, to this ongoing mystery. Who will go in this transportation machine, to the alien planet? Maybe you should send a philosopher, to inform the aliens of the views and theories on our profound questions on our ethics, or a poet, to give an example as to how us humans have mastered the art of literature. These are viable options, however, I believe Im the one who should travel to Vega. I understand it is a large responsibility to be the representative of not just America, but the whole human race here on Earth. Im prepared to do so with the utmost pride. I believe Im the one you should select to travel to the planet Vega. I believe you should select me to travel to the Vegan planet, because Im fluent in the languages of science and mathematics. I graduated sum cum laude, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and with a degree in Astronomy. For life to preside in this universe the planet must have a magnetic field, atmosphere, molten iron core, and liquid water. As a scientist I would be able to observe and collect data on these subjects. To see if the alien life forms had these elements or the made adaptations to their environment. They may show us mathematical sequences and theories that we have yet to discover. Technology that is beyond our wildest dreams may be presented, and they will need to be examined. The possibilities as to what we may see as we trek to this distant planet are endless. Someone who is an expert, with knowledge and know how should be the one to represent the human race. I have built my career as an astronomer, up to this one moment. I was selected to be a physics teacher at Harvard University, in Cambridge Massachusetts. I respectfully declined to offer, because of this one moment I was looking for. So I decided to join S.E.T.I. (the search for extraterrestrial intelligence). Francis Drake was one of the founding fathers of S.E.T.I., and he preformed the first modern S.E.T.I. experiment with a radio telescope. The government started of funding the program, but funds were cut when taxpayers held a vote. Ever since then we have been funded from schools and programs such as Harvard and N.A.S.A. To some people all the people at S.E.T.I., just sit in a dark room and listen to radio waves. But to me its not just that, its a calling! We made the discovery at the Very Large Array, a radio astronomy observatory in New Mexico. All the satellite dishes were pointed to different sectors within or

universe, but we suddenly got a transmission and all satellites were focused on it. I was listening alone with the telescopes, when I heard a very strong beat. I reported the signal to my colleagues to trace. We found that the signal was coming from the planet Vega, which is approximately twenty-six light years away from Earth. The signal was transmitted in a pattern of prime numbers, ones that can only be divided by one and themselves. At that moment we knew we were dealing with an advanced species. But that wasnt the end we intercepting a picture as well. This picture was of Adolf Hitler giving a speech at the nineteen-thirty-six Olympics, the first worldwide broadcast ever. Now I strongly believe the person who spends their valuable time, their life searching for this one signal. Then one day they find it should be the representative that should go to the distant planet, of which whose people contacted her? I dont think there is anyone else here who is as passionate about this as I am. Some people are probably thinking wow its just a radio wave. But to me its not just a radio wave, its a life-changing event, that I will never forget. James Clerk Maxwell certainly didnt think they were just electromagnetic radiation found on the electromagnetic spectrum. He wrote out equations and theories about them. To him it wasnt just a thing to study; it was his way of contributing to future. It wasnt just a radio wave to Hienrich Hertz, when he demonstrated the reality of Maxwells theories, within his laboratory. It was his contribution to society. Plus Frank Drake must the happiest man alive, growing up always looking at the stars and wondering if there is life on those far distant planets. Well he got his answer and he is the one behind the creation of S.E.T.I. I grew up always reading and sending out radio waves on the radio my father gave me. One day I got a signal from Tallahassee, Florida to me that was the greatest thing in the world. I was the young girl who was always looking up at the sky, and just wondering. Dont you think that sending a person who is passionate about the matters at hand would be the best candidate? They live for these moments in their life, and when it comes around they know it might be the only chance they get. So they are going to the best job, because to them its not just radio waves its their pride, joy, happiness, more importantly their life. For ages we have theorized and found that there is life in our galaxy, within our own solar system, but we always thought we were just the only advanced civilization. Jupiters moon Europa has many oceans and is believed to inhabit life. We know that life did preside on Mars before it became a barren wasteland. Although they are aliens they are not advanced, they are only microorganisms. They cant talk to us, but we thought this was the greatest thing ever. Even though they couldnt talk to us they did tell us a lot. Just think about know, we have come in contact with a species that may not only be able to talk to us, but they have a system of mathematics, and are able to us through radio waves. The possibilities are endless know, they may have cures to our most deadly diseases, or more advanced technology that will help us build our future. We have just found our long lost neighbor. So the question is who will go knock on their door, and welcome them to the neighborhood? I believe you should select me to be the one to travel to Vega. I am the logical choice, as I am educated with mathematics and science. I was the one who discovered the alien signal at the large array in New Mexico, and I have built my entire career upon this one signal. This has been my lifes passion, and I dont believe there is anyone more passionate about this than I am.