Science

Father and Daughter Decode Mysterious Signal From Space: What Does It Mean?

A father-daughter team decodes an alien-like signal from space, revealing five amino acids—what's their meaning?

Father and Daughter Decode Mysterious Signal From Space: What Does It Mean?

A father-daughter team solved a 2023 , revealing five .

A simulated extraterrestrial message sent from Mars to Earth in 2023 was decoded in June by Ken Chaffin and his daughter, Keli Chaffin, through nearly a year of persistent efforts. Created as part of “A Sign in Space” project by the Institute, the message displays five formations of amino acids, though its meaning remains unclear. Daniela de Paulis, SETI's artist-in-residence and a licensed radio operator, designed the project with other international scientists and artists to explore what an might resemble.

Signal Reception and Decoding Process

In May 2023, the Trace Gas Orbiter transmitted a signal intended to simulate an alien message. This was captured by three Earth-based observatories: the Allen Telescope Array in California, the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, and the Medicina Radio Astronomical Station in Italy. Released online, the raw data allowed worldwide to engage in decoding efforts through a community forum. Decoding required the Chaffins to use cellular automata algorithms on what appeared to be a “starmap” of white pixels, eventually revealing clusters representing amino acids.

Interpreting the Message

The Chaffins' discovery is confirmed by the project team to represent amino acids, essential molecules in life forms. However, no interpretation has been provided for why these particular configurations might have been chosen. De Paulis and her team maintain that understanding the message's intent is left to those examining it, in part to mimic a real-life scenario of receiving an alien transmission without guidance.

Open Interpretation and Ongoing Exploration

This simulation invites global citizen scientists to theorise about the message's significance. Speculations range from life-forming compounds assembling in space to a simple extraterrestrial greeting. De Paulis plans to document public interpretations in a forthcoming book, recognising the difficulty in reaching a universal consensus on its meaning. Ken and Keli Chaffin, while uncertain about the precise intent, have voiced enthusiasm over their role in exploring this unique cosmic message.

Source

Click to rate this post!
[Total: 0 Average: 0]

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

seven + seven =

Back to top button