seti sent out strings of prime numbers in binary code. if we were to radio
pictographs they would arrive long after our first radio and teli.signals
got there.the only difference is the binary signal was sent out on a
inherently quiet frequency.
"Auntie_Al" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
[EMAIL PROTECTED]">news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]...
> Welcome to Encounter 2001 - Public Participation Space Missions
> http://www.encounter2001.com/
>
> . |-|-|-| . Both the 1999 Encounter 2001 transmissions
> and the 1974 National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center
> transmission from Arecibo, Puerto Rico used mathematical
> and scientific concepts to communicate information about
> Earth and humanity.
>
> Both transmissions used "pictograms" to convey the
> mathematical and scientific symbols that constituted
> the messages. The pictograms are constructed using
> a certain number of bits of information.
>
> As in computer science, the bits can be thought of in terms
> of "1's" and "0's." Transmitted across interstellar space, the
> pictograms are designed to be easily reconstructed by any ETI
> that might intercept the transmitted bits of "1's" and "0's."
>
> When reconstructed, the pictograms form rectangular pictures
> in which mathematical and scientific symbols appear, as well as
> crude sketches.
>
> While the use of mathematical and scientific facts and formulas
> as an interstellar language necessarily limits the degree of
> qualitative information that can be included in interstellar
> transmissions, it is possible to convey at least some cultural
> information using mathematical and scientific symbols.
> In discussing the qualitative limitations of interstellar
> messages that rely on mathematics and science as the
> "language" of communication, Vakoch (1998) writes that
> "extraterrestrials might be able to convey aspects of
> their culture as abstract as their sense of beauty,
> all the while using the language of numbers and physical
> constants"
>
> The Encounter 2001 transmissions use a specially
> designed mathematical "alphabet" to represent
> mathematical and scientific concepts.
>
> Each transmission begins by defining symbols that
> represent the digits 0 through 9. Then, using these digit
> symbols, symbols for the simple mathematical operators
> of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and
> exponentiation are defined. This is followed by symbols for
> such mathematical constants as pi and the natural number
> e, symbols for unknown variables (such as "x", "y" and "z"),
> and symbols for simple logical operators such as the
> negation symbol � and the logical "and" symbol .
> Using these sorts of basic mathematical operators and
> constants, the message goes on to define other symbols and
> mathematical and scientific relationships, such as power,
> temperature, time and the concept of repeating decimals.
> Indeed, a total of twenty-three pictograms constitute the
> first of four scientific messages included in the Encounter
> 2001 transmissions.
> http://www.encounter2001.com/
>
