Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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Twenty years ago, Tass reported from the Soviet Union that
Gennardy Sholomitsky of the Shternberg Astronomical Institute had
detected regularly spaced radio signals that indicated we were not alone
in the universe. But the signals had come from a quasar, a starlike object
that will emit radio frequency as well as visible radiation. A false alarm,
of course. Twelve years ago, the Soviets again intercepted radio signals
they thought were of extra-terrestrial origin, signals from a possible
Kardashev Type III civilization. A civilization in possession of a
transmitting power equal to the energy output of a full galaxy. Tass
reported that the signals seemed to be coming from a satellite. Speculated
that it was a space probe of the kind visualized by Ronald Bracewell at
Stanford. Later admitted, with some embarrassment—
There.
Again.
And again.
It had been more than eleven years now since Frank Drake beamed
into space—from the radio telescope at Arecibo—his “anti-puzzle,” a
“code designed to be easily broken.” Ever since, listeners all over the
world had been waiting for a sign that someone, anyone, had received it
and deciphered it. The telescope Michael was monitoring possessed a
radio dish capable of scanning nearby galaxies at wavelengths of twenty-
one, eighteen, and twelve point six centimeters. Drake’s message, in the
form of a pictogram using the language of binary arithmetic, first
explained how to count from one to ten, then went on to give the atomic
numbers for hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and phosphorus, and
next gave the components of DNA, the genetic molecule for life on—
The screen came into blinding focus, the blip virtually leaping from
it.
Michael blinked.
ON EARTH.
Here? he typed. But . . .
WE LOVE YOU.
CENTURIES.
On earth?
YES, CENTURIES.
No, we . . .
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