Astrobiology has always been seen as the underdog of space science. According to Scientific American, it focuses on the investigation of extraterrestrial intelligence in the universe and is often criticized as more philosophical than actual science since it lacks tangible evidence.
NASA scientists are planning to send nudes to space to establish a communication with extraterrestrials. Aside from the photos of naked people, they also plan to send pictures of the DNA, the Solar System, and an invitation to respond if they find the shots. They plan to launch those pictures into space to lure them to Earth.
NASA is Sending Naked Sketches of A Man and Woman to Space to Communicate With Extraterrestrials
A Beacon in the Galaxy
NASA revealed the image in the study, titled "A Beacon in the Galaxy: Updated Arecibo Message for Potential FAST and SETI Projects," as part of the latest in a string of attempts to reach extraterrestrial life.
The group of scientists from NASA clarified that the nudes are not the scandalous images that come first to mind with the word "nude." These photos are sketches of a naked man and woman who are both smiling and waving, Now This News reported.
Scientists said that the proposed message will also include mathematical and physical concepts as well as the information on the biochemical composition of life on Earth, the time-stamped position of the Solar System in the Milky Way, and digitized depictions of the surfaces of the Earth and the Solar System that will help establish universal means of communication.
They think that sending pixelated illustrations of naked human beings waving hello could finally help us make contact with our neighbors from space. They also believe that sending binary-coded messages is most likely to be understood.
Overall, their message to the extraterrestrial intelligence in the universe aims to inform them that humans on Earth exist and are willing to communicate with them.
Communicating With Extraterrestrial Life
The Beacon in Galaxy is not the first time scientists sent naked depictions of humans to space, according to Discovery. The Pioneer projects were the first ones to do so. The Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11 sent illustrations of a naked man and woman in 1972 and 1973, respectively.
Study author Jonathan Jiang said that the proposed BITG message is written in binary code since it is the closest thing to the universal language. Should it be transmitted to space, it will be sent from the 500-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope in China and the Allen Telescope Array of SETI Institute in Northern California.
Although the group of scientists from NASA hopes to communicate with extraterrestrial intelligence, some groups also worry that it will be seen as an invitation for a potentially-hostile species that could damage Earth.
"Logic suggests a species which has reached sufficient complexity to achieve communication through the cosmos would also very likely have attained high levels of cooperation amongst themselves and thus will know the importance of peace and collaboration," the team said as quoted by Discovery.
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