Is It Interstellar Spam?

By DT Staff Published October 25, 2009

Is It Interstellar Spam? — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Yesterday 501 images and text messages were beamed out from a radio telescope in the Ukraine to a planet 20 light years away.

The material, collectively called A Message From Earth, had been put together from a competition by social networking site Bebo covering what people would like aliens to receive. Among the articles are pieces on a first kiss and world peace, the BBC reports.

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Now in binary format, they’re currently traversing the 120 trillion miles between Earth and the planet Gliese 581C, which scientists believe could support life, where they should arrive in 2029.

Bebo spokesman Mark Charkin said:

"A Message From Earth presents an opportunity for the digital natives of today… to reconnect with science and the wider universe in a simple, fun and immersive way."

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