Father and Daughter Decode Mysterious Signal From Space: What Does It Mean?
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 SETI 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 alien signal might resemble.
Signal Reception and Decoding Process
In May 2023, the ExoMars 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 citizen scientists 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.
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alien signal, amino acids, space communication, extraterrestrial life, citizen scientists, decoded message, cosmic puzzle, space signal, SETI, ExoMars, Mars mission
A massive coral, thought to be the largest ever recorded, has been discovered by scientists in the Solomon Islands, drawing global attention to its size and environmental significance. The coral, which extends about 111 feet across and 104 feet in length, spans an area comparable to two basketball courts and can be seen from space. This discovery, made by a team from National Geographic’s Pristine Seas expedition in October, highlights the presence of previously unrecorded marine giants.
A Hidden Giant in the Ocean
Dr. Molly Timmers, the expedition’s lead scientist, noted that the coral appeared “like a shipwreck” from the water’s surface. Its sheer size was confirmed by underwater divers, who found the coral extending across the seafloor with undulating waves of brown, yellow, and blue hues. Estimated to be between 300 and 500 years old, the coral dwarfs the previous record-holder, a coral known as “Big Momma” in American Samoa.
Pristine Seas founder Dr. Enric Sala compared the discovery to finding “the world’s tallest tree” and emphasized its importance in marine biodiversity research. Dr. David M. Baker, a coral reef researcher at the University of Hong Kong, who was not part of the expedition, highlighted that large coral structures represent resilience, having endured significant environmental changes over centuries.
A Vital Marine Habitat at Risk
Though the coral appears healthy, scientists have expressed concern about the threats it faces from both local and global stressors. Overfishing disrupts coral reef ecosystems by removing key species that support its health, while climate change poses a longer-term threat. Coral reefs are highly susceptible to warming oceans, which can lead to coral bleaching and ultimately coral death, Timmers noted.
With more than 490 species of hard and soft corals, the Solomon Islands host one of the world’s richest coral ecosystems. The discovery of this coral serves as a reminder of both the ocean’s hidden wonders and the urgent need for conservation amidst rising global temperatures.
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