Alien-like signal from 2023 has been decoded

The SETI Institute’s “A Sign in Space” project simulated an alien message to see how humanity might respond to such a discovery. The project began with a signal beamed from the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, a European Space Agency spacecraft orbiting Mars, to Earth in May 2023. Observatories in the U.S. and Italy received the signal, and the raw data was then shared publicly for citizen scientists worldwide to attempt deciphering it.

The father-daughter team of Ken and Keli Chaffin managed to decode the message after nearly a year of analysis, recognizing the data represented moving configurations of amino acids—essential building blocks of life. However, the significance of these configurations remains ambiguous, with interpretations still being discussed within the community.

The message was intentionally complex to simulate the challenges humanity might face if we were to receive a genuine extraterrestrial signal. It’s designed to mimic the uncertainty and collaborative nature required in deciphering such a signal, as no hints were provided by the creators. Ken Chaffin used his experience with cellular automata—grids that change in specific ways based on mathematical rules—to run simulations, eventually revealing the moving amino acid patterns.

Some people interpret the message as a representation of panspermia, the theory that life might spread across the universe via space-borne compounds like amino acids. Others view it as a cosmic "hello," but without further hints, the true meaning remains open to speculation.

The project encourages public involvement in interpreting the message, emphasizing that if we ever receive an alien signal, we may never fully agree on its meaning due to diverse perspectives and the inherent mystery of alien communication.

To know more about the project, follow the link.