Messaging Intelligent Life Project: Artifact Construction - Essay Example

Messaging Intelligent Life Project: Artifact Construction Before an artifact is to be constructed, it should have the goal of contacting and eliciting a response from intelligent life, and it has to be carried into space by any spacecraft. It should then be left on the surface of Mars or left to float in space. Moreover, apart from these conditions, the artifact must obey certain principles set by NASA regarding communication with alien life. Firstly, it would be more plausible to use vision and images than sounds in communicating with aliens (Diaz).

Moreover, according to NASA’s most recently published book entitled Archaeology, Anthropology and Interstellar Communication, communication between humans and extraterrestrials theoretically needs something like a “highly elaborated code” that will serve as an “abstract artificial mediation” (Lestel 231). Still, from the NASA book, one learns that it can be assumed that “brains are not completely isolated cognizers processing concepts about sensory data [but] as spread out in space and time and among other cognizers” (Edmondson 239).

Moreover, the best form of communication can be a “three-color image…arranged in a grid” and one should think that other beings are “altruistic” (Edmondson 244). This means that the artifact must contain a code of any three colors, and Earth should hope that the aliens can perceive it and can perceive our need for this artifact to be perceived. Thus, firstly, based on all the aforementioned ideas regarding human and extraterrestrial communication, the artifact should be something like a piece of heavy metal that should be different from the rest of the metals in space.

Perhaps, an alloy like steel should be used so that it remains unique when compared with the rest of the material in space and so that the aliens can identify it. It could also be made up of heavy Styrofoam if possible, as long as it is not too light. Secondly, this must be cut through the shape of a star or pentagon, heart, or anything unique when compared with the rest of the irregular shapes of the floating objects in space. The edges of this artifact must be brightly lit so that the shape is emphasized in the darkness of space.

Thirdly, it must have a built-in perfume or any smell which is different from the rest of the smells that one may experience in space. This must be pleasant to the nose at least but strong enough to warrant possible attention. Fourthly, the artifact must have a design that sparkles in three distinct colors or hues but it should not be that bright. The design must be one that generally communicates peace such as a group of five individuals standing side by side and holding each other’s hands.

These individuals must be made up of perhaps a male human, a female human, a human child or an animal like a lobster (standing and using its pincers as hands), an animal like a bear or an overly fat non-human being, and an egg-shaped-headed alien or an overly thin non-human being. The message is unity and peace, and this illustration practically includes all the possible types of bodies there are if one has to consider the alien race. This message should communicate a general sense of unity to anyone who can see it.

There should be no facial expressions because facial expressions may be misconstrued as something else by alien beings. Moreover, this is a feature that involves visual communication because it is preferable to sound, as previously stated by an author (Diaz). Fifthly, although optional, smooth classical music may be implanted into the artifact using a chip (Coplan). This music must be classical and must play quietly in the background. It may also be adapted from a tribal song of peace as perhaps ancient tribal societies may have been able to communicate with other beings better than modern humans do now.

Sixthly, there must be a button or a video chip that can detect whether aliens have got hold of this artifact. Moreover, the design of the people standing side by side must have some distinct tactile features like it should produce some smooth sounds, music, or the words “I love you” romantically or even sensually spoken every time the alien touches it, as sex and love are naturally nurturing emotions in all species of humans and animals even way back in the ancient times. However, the artifact should not include a map of the Earth, as the aliens might get the message that it should attack Earth.

NASA should therefore just hope that after they release this artifact into space, the aliens will just instinctually know where it came from and what purpose it had (Edmondson 244).