British scientists plan to compose a message to aliens

British scientists plan to compose a message to aliens

PanARMENIAN.Net - A network of UK researchers has decided to compose a message to aliens - but they are divided over whether such a message should be sent into space, BBC News reports.

The group will enter the Breakthrough Message contest, which offers a $1m prize for creating a digital missive that represents human civilization.

Experts have argued for decades about the wisdom of broadcasting into space.

The diversity of views was obvious at a conference of the UK Seti Research Network (UKSRN) in Leeds, where the group's 20 members were split down the middle in an informal vote.

"We did a show of hands and we were perfectly evenly split," said Dr Anders Sandberg, speaking to journalists at the British Science Festival in Bradford.

The group settled firmly in favor of composing a message, even if it might never leave the planet.

"What we could agree on was that it was worthwhile and important to try to devise that message, so that we can reach the best possible version," Sandberg said.

He and three other UKSRN members have formed a working group to "thrash out the basics" of how their message might be composed and what it might contain.

For example, they might draft two suggestions: one using pictures, and one using more abstract content such as language or mathematics.

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