--This American Life description of the Pioneer 11 plaque
I found out about this plaque listening to This American Life, episode 289: Go Ask Your Father, aired June 12, 2009. It's a plaque that was sent off into space in the hopes that another life form might some day find it. To tell them about us, I suppose. The comment "we are waving hello to you, and we are nude" made me laugh. But really, it's a good basic message to send out I suppose. Would be nice if we said hello to other countries in this way. Maybe it would make for smoother international relations.
But what happens when these people from another planet come to visit and they see us nude and we aren't as well-built as those cartoon figures with the strong shoulders and perfect abs? Will the be disappointed in us? Couldn't we have sent them sketches of heavier, out of shape, Earthlings to be more realistic?
ReplyDeleteAnd what would they think of the children? Not to mention all the other species that inhabit the earth... but how much can you say in a plaque?
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting idea - to send such a plaque into space. Who thought this one up? If someone finds it, I hope they send back one like it.
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