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In his book The Lives of a Cell,
Dr. Lewis Thomas considered what types of signals
we might transmit into space to initiate communication with
intelligent life elsewhere. He wrote
It would be simpler to announce to aliens that we can do mathematics. It's not much of a stretch to expect a sophisticated alien to recognize a string written with two symbols as a binary number. The metal plaque attached to the Pioneer 10 spacecraft had binary numbers on it, although they were intended to convey measurements rather than pure math. It expressed the digits 0 and 1 with horizontal and vertical lines, respectively.
One number--albeit a large one--would be enough to clearly announce that our species can do mathematics. I have in mind the order (i.e., size) of the Monster Group, a number that came to our attention only about fifty years ago and which has deep connections to several branches of mathematics. Using the Pioneer plaque's style of binary numbers, it reads
Perhaps the safest thing to do at the outset, if technology permits, is to send music. This language may be the best we have for explaining what we are like to others in space, with least ambiguity. I would vote for Bach, all of Bach, streamed out into space, over and over again. We would be bragging, of course, but it is surely excusable for us to put the best possible face on at the beginning of such an acquaintance. We can tell the harder truths later.As much as I like the idea of offering the music of Bach to show what humans can do, it presupposes a capacity to appreciate music at all--let alone music whose rhythms and pitches are familiar to our ears. Bach would probably be a good choice though as his music is renowned for being indestructible in the sense of still sounding good no matter what instrument it's played on or at what tempo.
It would be simpler to announce to aliens that we can do mathematics. It's not much of a stretch to expect a sophisticated alien to recognize a string written with two symbols as a binary number. The metal plaque attached to the Pioneer 10 spacecraft had binary numbers on it, although they were intended to convey measurements rather than pure math. It expressed the digits 0 and 1 with horizontal and vertical lines, respectively.
One number--albeit a large one--would be enough to clearly announce that our species can do mathematics. I have in mind the order (i.e., size) of the Monster Group, a number that came to our attention only about fifty years ago and which has deep connections to several branches of mathematics. Using the Pioneer plaque's style of binary numbers, it reads
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A friend asked if I'd help him capture
an injured heron so he could bring it to a
wildlife rescue organization
in our valley.
Stephen Colbert: | Cats or dogs? |
Elvis Costello: | Cats
or dogs: without question, dogs. Cats are all plotting our downfall. |
House
under construction in my neighborhood.
What's the word for seeing something new
and soon afterwards seeing it all over the place?
I first saw the word colorway about a week ago and have seen it about five times since. Dictionaries tell me it's been around longer than I have but somehow I avoided it for most of my life (or so it seems).
I first saw the word colorway about a week ago and have seen it about five times since. Dictionaries tell me it's been around longer than I have but somehow I avoided it for most of my life (or so it seems).
Yes,
I am easily amused.
My friend's dog Sadie is no longer with us.
She was 14, a full lifespan for her breed(s).
She was ½ Australian Cattle Dog, ¼ Lab, and ¼ German Shorthaired Pointer.
We had in common a dislike for large gatherings. She'd have a why are we doing this? look on her face when a dozen or more humans were around. I miss her.
I have many fond memories of her keeping us company while climbing.
ff, ffi, and fi ligatures, all in one
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