![]() ![]() Draft of Direct Contact Among Galactic Civilizations by Relativistic Interstellar Spaceflight. In this particular essay, he explores the likelihood of physical contact, that is, visits to earth by extraterrestrial civilizations. Here at the top of a draft of an paper from the early 1960s Carl Sagan presents and interprets the Drake equation, a equation for estimating the number of extraterrestrial civilizations that might be able to contact us. The Drake Equation was a way to estimate the number of civilizations out in the galaxy that could be sending out radio signals we could detect. As it became increasingly clear that there was no intelligent life on other planets in the solar system, it became possible to detect signals from much further away. ![]() In the 1960s Frank Drake, Carl Sagan and a number of other scientists began searching for signals indicating the existence of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. Intergalactic Contact & The Drake Equation As astronomers began developing radio telescopes they made discoveries of various sources of electromagnetic waves in the heavens and these became useful sources of observational data about the space. In the 1930s and 40s radio became an invaluable instrument for observing the heavens. While it would quickly become clear that there weren't signals from Mars, radio would play a critical role in the search for life on worlds outside our solar system. Aside from describing this discovery, the article quotes Thomas Edison as saying Marconi's work offers "good grounds for the theory that inhabitants of other planets are trying to signal to us." As radio developed as a medium for communications in the early 20th century it was also positioned for listening for contact from other worlds. ![]() One such article from 1920, Hello, Earth! Hello! Marconi believes he is receiving signals from the planets provides extensive commentary on similar signals observed by the Italian engineer Guglielmo Marconi. Hello Earth!Īs radio took off, so did stories of communicating with Mars. What man who has ever lived on this earth would not envy Tesla that moment!" While Tesla's alleged communications with Mars captured media attention, it did not capture much serious interest from scientists. "As he sat beside his instrument on the hillside in Colorado, in the deep silence of that austere, inspiring region, where you plant your feet in gold and your head brushes the constellations - as he sat there one evening, alone, his attention, exquisitely alive at that juncture, was arrested by a faint sound from the receiver - three fairy taps, one after the other, at a fixed interval. His story was picked up and reported on broadly in the press.Īn article from the Richmond Times offered an extensive description and commentary on his alleged discovery. ![]() In 1901, engineer Nicola Tesla made the astonishing claim that he was receiving radio communications from Mars. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the idea and development of wireless telegraphy, sending and receiving electromagnetic waves through the air, offered new method of searching for communications from space. Tesla Promises Radio Communication with Mars Soon, the development of radio technology would provide a much more powerful way to listen for and send messages to other worlds. From the cover illustration, it would appear that one rather civilized Martian is using a spotlight to communicate the tune while the other watches Earth with a telescope, likely waiting to see if we have the same taste in marches and two steps. The 1901 piece, " A Signal From Mars, March and Two Step" offers music that Martians might be playing for us. We can find this same idea in a piece of music. In noting "a luminous projection on the southern edge of the planet", the article suggests that this might be because "the inhabitants of Mars were flashing messages" to Earth. Could we communicate with another planet? How might we look for signals and messages from other worlds?Īn 1896 newspaper article titled " A Signal from Mars" offered one example of how we might receive communications from the planet. As the 20th century began, interest in the potential of life on Mars and the possible civilizations there lead to a search for signals. ![]()
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