Menu

Search

  |   Science

Menu

  |   Science

Search

NASA to send art in deep space in an attempt to inform aliens about human life

myersalex216 / Pixabay

Space agencies like NASA are on the search for life that may exist outside our own planet. A new project by the US-based agency looks to make contact with extraterrestrial life in the universe through sending artwork.

NASA has teamed up with artist Julia Christensen to prepare a probe that will make a reconnaissance fly-by around Alpha Centauri. The probe will be carrying artwork made by Christensen, called the Tree of Life, and it will be beamed to any alien life found in Proxima b. Christensen will be partnering with NASA scientist Professor Anthony Freeman in the project organized by the Art + Technology Lab of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

To note, Proxima b is the nearest exoplanet to our Solar System and resides in what is referred to as the “Goldilocks zone” from its host star. This means that Proxima b may have conditions favorable to host life on its surface.

Christensen’s work is also a reference to a previous work called the Golden Record that NASA sent through its Voyager spacecraft back in 1977. Compared to the contents of the Golden Record, the work made by Christensen will be featuring music made by trees. The collaboration between Christensen and the scientists at NASA will involve a CubeSat that would be functional for 200 years.

“The trees will have a conversation with the CubeSat,” said Christensen. “They’ll transmit information on their lives and how they’re doing to the CubeSat and the CubeSat will send data about how it’s doing. That dialogue will be translated to sonic frequencies that will become a song. That’s what will be embedded on the spacecraft headed to Proxima b.”

At the same time, NASA recently published a detailed report that would outline the agency’s scientific goals involving its future missions. The report especially involves its upcoming Artemis mission that will see the agency make a return trip to the Moon with the next humans to set foot on the surface. One of the goals in its upcoming moon mission was to bring back around 85 kilograms of Moon rock samples taken from both the surface and subsurface.

Prior to the manned Moon mission known as Artemis III, NASA will be carrying out the Artemis 1 mission in 2021. Artemis 1 will involve testing the Space Launch System and an unmanned Orion spacecraft.

  • Market Data
Close

Welcome to EconoTimes

Sign up for daily updates for the most important
stories unfolding in the global economy.