Part 3

There are known to be at least 100 quintillion stars. Focusing on one random star in the hope it has a planet having intelligent life beaming signals in our direction is like trying to find a specific drop of water in the ocean.

When a reporter during Project Ozma asked if there was any word from our remote fellow creatures, one scientist told him to come back in 10,000 years.

Yet certain factors may improve these chances. Advanced beings might periodically check the solar systems nearest them to see if they have company. It is not unreasonable to suppose that there is regular cosmic conversation between greatly developed cultures, and if we could detect a channel we might be able to plug in on the party line.

We can only hope, however, that they are using a method we can detect. Man has only recently emerged from savagery and is only beginning to look beyond his little world. To the cosmic callers, our most advanced equipment might be as primitive as smoke signals are to us.

Again, we might be trying to contact beings so entirely different from us that we would have no common ground upon which to build understanding. They might not even respond as we do to the same stimuli. Their appearance, evolution, structure, environment and thinking processes could even be beyond the limits of our imaginations.

But a signal could come--an impulse from out of the boundless abyss telling us we are not alone. What would be the nature of this message? And how could we reply?

Assuming that our senders are using radio wavelengths and have enough similarity to us for mutual understanding, we would first have to isolate the signals from the hash of natural static.

Next, we would have to “crack the code.” The usual cryptographic techniques, which depend on some basic knowledge of the language and letter frequencies, would not be adequate. We can only hope that the callers give us some clues.

Scientists expect any messages received will be mathematical in nature, since mathematical principles may be regarded as universal constants.

The message might be a simple numeral progression or the numbers of a constant, such as the wave length of the hydrogen atom or the speed of light.

They might send pi, for example, the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. It’s a non-stop number, but we would understand if it was worked out to six or eight decimal places. “Pi from the sky” would be the story of the ages.

Once we had received this signal for recognition and replied in equally simple terms would come the real problem of interpreting or devising a means for transmitting speed.

* * * * *

Hans Fruedenthal, professor of mathematics at the University of Utrecht (Netherlands), has devised a system he calls Lincos (meaning “Lingua Cosmica” or “Cosmic Language”). It consists of teaching the meaning of certain sounds by using numbers. The numbers would be signified by “dots” or “beeps”; the sounds by radio signals of various frequencies and lengths. To illustrate the method, let us assume that the sound “bloop” stands for “equal.” Three dots would be sent, then bloop, then three dots. This would be repeated with other numbers until the listeners associated the sound with equal numbers.

The concept of “less than” would similarly be sent by several dots, another sound (like “tweet”), followed by a greater number of dots. The reverse--like a greater number of dots, another sound, and a lesser number of dots--would signify “greater than.” Once these concepts were understood, the operative signs like add, subtract, etc. could be taught. Thus a mathematical vocabulary would be established.

Next would come transmitting the length of our basic time unit. The Fruedenthal system would send, say, a four-second dash, followed by the Lincos sound for “second,” then four dots. Using different dash lengths with corresponding dots and the same sound, it is assumed that the recipients would observe that the length of the dash was proportional to the number of dots.

Time concepts (including universal constants) would lead to teaching units of physical length.

Upon this foundation of mathematics, time and dimensions, Lincos develops an ingenious and extensive language for a detailed description of earth, its inhabitants and our culture.

Lincos, of course, assumes that the listeners are capable of understanding our mathematical concepts and that their reasoning processes are similar to ours. It illustrates one great fundamental difficulty in alien communication: whatever system we use, it has to be devised within the limitations of our one-planet knowledge and experience.

The basic principle of association (that is relating numbers to sounds to teach meanings) can be used in other systems. Some form of association, probably beginning with objects and sounds, will be necessary to teach dolphins a human language.

One other fundamental means of communication is being considered by scientists. This is the use of geometrical designs or symbols which would then evolve into pictures. It would be most practical in interplanetary communication.

A picture, as the Chinese say, is worth a thousand words.

In interstellar communication, geometrical figures could possibly be signified by numbers. Thus the pi ratio would denote a circle, three equal successive numbers an equilateral triangle, four equal numbers a square, and so on.

From this elementary basis, a method of translating sounds into drawings could be developed. This might take the form of having electrical circuits attached to pens or tiny lights respond to various sounds, thus transcribing the pictures to paper or film.

The correct interpretation of whatever messages we receive will be of extreme importance. An error could be disastrous.

We need only recall the difficulties we have had in translating early records of our own species to know that interpreting the signals of otherworld beings may be very difficult. Egyptian hieroglyphics were given many translations that contradicted each other before the Rosetta Stone was found. In one example, there were 12 different translations.

Should this problem develop, we can only hope that the other-worlders are friendly, tolerant and patient.

Then there is the time factor.