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Replying to the Wow Signal | National Geographic


hi I’m Erin Ryder from chasing UFOs and

hi I’m Erin Ryder from chasing UFOs and I’m here at the world-famous Arecibo

I’m here at the world-famous Arecibo

I’m here at the world-famous Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico site of the

Observatory in Puerto Rico site of the

Observatory in Puerto Rico site of the largest single aperture telescope ever

largest single aperture telescope ever

largest single aperture telescope ever constructed now usually this thing is

constructed now usually this thing is

constructed now usually this thing is used for listening to the skies since

used for listening to the skies since

used for listening to the skies since 1999 the scientists here have been

1999 the scientists here have been

1999 the scientists here have been collecting data for the SETI program

collecting data for the SETI program

collecting data for the SETI program searching for signs of extraterrestrial

searching for signs of extraterrestrial

searching for signs of extraterrestrial intelligent life but today we’re gonna

intelligent life but today we’re gonna

intelligent life but today we’re gonna do a lot more than just listen as we

do a lot more than just listen as we

do a lot more than just listen as we transmit the collective global response

transmit the collective global response

transmit the collective global response to the WoW signal into outer space but

to the WoW signal into outer space but

to the WoW signal into outer space but first let’s take a look back to the

first let’s take a look back to the

first let’s take a look back to the beginning of June and the video we made

beginning of June and the video we made

beginning of June and the video we made to launch this project 35 years ago we

to launch this project 35 years ago we

to launch this project 35 years ago we received a signal from space it became

received a signal from space it became

received a signal from space it became known as the WoW signal many people

known as the WoW signal many people

known as the WoW signal many people believe the WoW signal is kinda like a

believe the WoW signal is kinda like a

believe the WoW signal is kinda like a tweet from outer space if it was a

tweet from outer space if it was a

tweet from outer space if it was a message isn’t it about time we sent a

message isn’t it about time we sent a

message isn’t it about time we sent a reply to coincide with the 35th

reply to coincide with the 35th

reply to coincide with the 35th anniversary of the WoW signal we are

anniversary of the WoW signal we are

anniversary of the WoW signal we are going to crowdsource a reply and send it

going to crowdsource a reply and send it

going to crowdsource a reply and send it back using the biggest radio telescope

back using the biggest radio telescope

back using the biggest radio telescope we can get our hands on

arthur c clarke famously said either we

arthur c clarke famously said either we are alone in the universe or we are not

are alone in the universe or we are not

are alone in the universe or we are not both are equally terrifying in that

both are equally terrifying in that

both are equally terrifying in that fascination with the concept of

fascination with the concept of

fascination with the concept of intelligent life out there what would

intelligent life out there what would

intelligent life out there what would happen if we somehow managed to make

happen if we somehow managed to make

happen if we somehow managed to make contact is at the heart of all of the

contact is at the heart of all of the

contact is at the heart of all of the cases we investigate on our show given

cases we investigate on our show given

cases we investigate on our show given the chance to send a one time message to

the chance to send a one time message to

the chance to send a one time message to an extraterrestrial civilization what

an extraterrestrial civilization what

an extraterrestrial civilization what exactly would we say that was a task we

exactly would we say that was a task we

exactly would we say that was a task we gave you an oboe did you rise to the

gave you an oboe did you rise to the

gave you an oboe did you rise to the challenge you sent greetings hey space

challenge you sent greetings hey space

challenge you sent greetings hey space aliens hello my name is Robert

aliens hello my name is Robert

aliens hello my name is Robert Schwartzman hello

Schwartzman hello

Schwartzman hello beings of another world you said

beings of another world you said

beings of another world you said welcomes visit some time if you’d like

welcomes visit some time if you’d like

welcomes visit some time if you’d like God you sent warnings enough with the

God you sent warnings enough with the

God you sent warnings enough with the probes if after Armageddon those cheeky

probes if after Armageddon those cheeky

probes if after Armageddon those cheeky aliens trying parking our resident

aliens trying parking our resident

aliens trying parking our resident parking Bates you sent everything from

parking Bates you sent everything from

parking Bates you sent everything from the silly come and party here with us to

the silly come and party here with us to

the silly come and party here with us to the serious the human condition is

the serious the human condition is

the serious the human condition is defined by the fact that we are mortal

defined by the fact that we are mortal

defined by the fact that we are mortal and we lost from the inspirational we

and we lost from the inspirational we

and we lost from the inspirational we trust that we will have much good the

trust that we will have much good the

trust that we will have much good the profane goodness to share everything

profane goodness to share everything

profane goodness to share everything from science fiction message goes out to

from science fiction message goes out to

from science fiction message goes out to overs piloting UFOs to hard science this

overs piloting UFOs to hard science this

overs piloting UFOs to hard science this can be called active SETI or you shared

can be called active SETI or you shared

can be called active SETI or you shared everything from music to sport if we

everything from music to sport if we

everything from music to sport if we could explain baseball to you in 20

could explain baseball to you in 20

could explain baseball to you in 20 seconds uh then we would be geniuses to

seconds uh then we would be geniuses to

seconds uh then we would be geniuses to food we are not delicious thousands of

food we are not delicious thousands of

food we are not delicious thousands of messages from different cultures in

messages from different cultures in

messages from different cultures in different languages from all over the

different languages from all over the

different languages from all over the planet

planet

planet but all of them say we are healing we

but all of them say we are healing we

but all of them say we are healing we are here thanks so tell me a little bit

are here thanks so tell me a little bit

are here thanks so tell me a little bit about the telescope that were working

about the telescope that were working

about the telescope that were working with

with

with it’s a remarkable engineering

it’s a remarkable engineering

it’s a remarkable engineering accomplishment and yet it’s it’s also

accomplishment and yet it’s it’s also

accomplishment and yet it’s it’s also very simply constructed it is the

very simply constructed it is the

very simply constructed it is the biggest single dish telescope in the

biggest single dish telescope in the

biggest single dish telescope in the world is 305 metres across that it was

world is 305 metres across that it was

world is 305 metres across that it was conceived by a graduate student in the

conceived by a graduate student in the

conceived by a graduate student in the late 50s bill Gordon is his name it was

late 50s bill Gordon is his name it was

late 50s bill Gordon is his name it was built in a about a two-and-a-half to

built in a about a two-and-a-half to

built in a about a two-and-a-half to three year span from 1960 to 1963 and it

three year span from 1960 to 1963 and it

three year span from 1960 to 1963 and it was originally planned to have a

was originally planned to have a

was originally planned to have a lifetime of 10 to 15 years and we’re

lifetime of 10 to 15 years and we’re

lifetime of 10 to 15 years and we’re here 50 years later and it’s still on

here 50 years later and it’s still on

here 50 years later and it’s still on the forefront of science

the forefront of science

the forefront of science I mean we’re underneath the dish right

I mean we’re underneath the dish right

I mean we’re underneath the dish right now and this is spectacular because I

now and this is spectacular because I

now and this is spectacular because I think from the top you might not know

think from the top you might not know

think from the top you might not know that this is actually mesh we’re

that this is actually mesh we’re

that this is actually mesh we’re underneath that’s right

underneath that’s right

underneath that’s right and then what what is this we’re looking

and then what what is this we’re looking

and then what what is this we’re looking at above us right here that is the reg

at above us right here that is the reg

at above us right here that is the reg Orion dome some people call it a golf

Orion dome some people call it a golf

Orion dome some people call it a golf ball that dome as a secondary and

ball that dome as a secondary and

ball that dome as a secondary and tertiary reflector in it that actually

tertiary reflector in it that actually

tertiary reflector in it that actually takes that energy and focus it to a

takes that energy and focus it to a

takes that energy and focus it to a point so now all we have to do is put in

point so now all we have to do is put in

point so now all we have to do is put in a rotary floor with different receivers

a rotary floor with different receivers

a rotary floor with different receivers to rotate into place to do the different

to rotate into place to do the different

to rotate into place to do the different frequencies well let’s talk a little bit

frequencies well let’s talk a little bit

frequencies well let’s talk a little bit about our particular mission here so

about our particular mission here so

about our particular mission here so we’ve actually brought you over 20,000

we’ve actually brought you over 20,000

we’ve actually brought you over 20,000 tweets

tweets

tweets how exactly will we be transmitting

how exactly will we be transmitting

how exactly will we be transmitting these messages into space it’s not so

these messages into space it’s not so

these messages into space it’s not so much the sheer numbers of them but how

much the sheer numbers of them but how

much the sheer numbers of them but how do you do it and how do you make a

do you do it and how do you make a

do you do it and how do you make a serious effort to send those out rather

serious effort to send those out rather

serious effort to send those out rather than just turning on a radio and saying

than just turning on a radio and saying

than just turning on a radio and saying you transmitted them I mean we’ve

you transmitted them I mean we’ve

you transmitted them I mean we’ve actually coated up these messages with a

actually coated up these messages with a

actually coated up these messages with a header so every tweet has a header on it

header so every tweet has a header on it

header so every tweet has a header on it that we believe based on the repetition

that we believe based on the repetition

that we believe based on the repetition of those codes before every message

of those codes before every message

of those codes before every message would be hard to distinguish as anything

would be hard to distinguish as anything

would be hard to distinguish as anything but an ordered intelligent source all

but an ordered intelligent source all

but an ordered intelligent source all right so where exactly are we sending

right so where exactly are we sending

right so where exactly are we sending these messages we picked out three stars

these messages we picked out three stars

these messages we picked out three stars that are in our beam that actually pass

that are in our beam that actually pass

that are in our beam that actually pass over the telescope on August 15th and

over the telescope on August 15th and

over the telescope on August 15th and they’re three solar like stars

they’re three solar like stars

they’re three solar like stars so there’s similar math similar color

so there’s similar math similar color

so there’s similar math similar color similar size to our Sun one of them is

similar size to our Sun one of them is

similar size to our Sun one of them is known to have a planetary system the

known to have a planetary system the

known to have a planetary system the others might and we will send our

others might and we will send our

others might and we will send our transmissions to those three stars now

transmissions to those three stars now

transmissions to those three stars now obviously we’ve had a lot of fun with

obviously we’ve had a lot of fun with

obviously we’ve had a lot of fun with this project it’s not exactly hard

this project it’s not exactly hard

this project it’s not exactly hard science but what do you guys think about

science but what do you guys think about

science but what do you guys think about the project well I’m you know a big part

the project well I’m you know a big part

the project well I’m you know a big part of our mission here is education and

of our mission here is education and

of our mission here is education and outreach and the sociological aspects of

outreach and the sociological aspects of

outreach and the sociological aspects of this are fascinating I mean if you read

this are fascinating I mean if you read

this are fascinating I mean if you read through the tweets and

through the tweets and

through the tweets and get some feeling of what people where

get some feeling of what people where

get some feeling of what people where they think they are in the universe and

they think they are in the universe and

they think they are in the universe and what they want to say to people out

what they want to say to people out

what they want to say to people out there that in and of itself is

there that in and of itself is

there that in and of itself is fascinating and if we’re able to reach a

fascinating and if we’re able to reach a

fascinating and if we’re able to reach a population of younger people in

population of younger people in

population of younger people in particular who contemplate the distances

particular who contemplate the distances

particular who contemplate the distances to the nearest stars that the sheer size

to the nearest stars that the sheer size

to the nearest stars that the sheer size of the universe we will have

of the universe we will have

of the universe we will have accomplished a lot and we’re really

accomplished a lot and we’re really

accomplished a lot and we’re really happy to be part of it this is the

happy to be part of it this is the

happy to be part of it this is the control room here at the Arecibo

control room here at the Arecibo

control room here at the Arecibo Observatory where we will send all your

Observatory where we will send all your

Observatory where we will send all your messages up into the skies but before we

messages up into the skies but before we

messages up into the skies but before we do I’d like to thank everyone who

do I’d like to thank everyone who

do I’d like to thank everyone who participated in this project dr. Bob

participated in this project dr. Bob

participated in this project dr. Bob Kerr the team here at Arecibo and of

Kerr the team here at Arecibo and of

Kerr the team here at Arecibo and of course to you at home and so if

course to you at home and so if

course to you at home and so if everyone’s ready Nathan you’re ready

everyone’s ready Nathan you’re ready

everyone’s ready Nathan you’re ready we’re ready all right let’s do this

and just like that they’re on their way

and just like that they’re on their way Godspeed little tweets thank you for

Godspeed little tweets thank you for

Godspeed little tweets thank you for joining us here at the arecibo

joining us here at the arecibo

joining us here at the arecibo observatory we’ve had so much fun until

observatory we’ve had so much fun until

observatory we’ve had so much fun until next time I’m Erin Ryder from chasing

next time I’m Erin Ryder from chasing

next time I’m Erin Ryder from chasing UFOs saying keep watching and listening

UFOs saying keep watching and listening

UFOs saying keep watching and listening to the skies

”

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