The “alien” signal from Mars has finally been decoded a year later

One year later, the “alien” signal from Mars has finally been deciphered.

Have you ever dreamed of deciphering an extraterrestrial message? Well, something very similar just happened and we’re going to tell you all the details. Hold on to your seat, because this story will leave you speechless.

The challenge that put the world on edge

A little over a year ago, the entire planet was given a challenge that seemed straight out of a science fiction movie: to solve a coded message that pretended to be an extraterrestrial signal. But don’t get too excited, they weren’t real aliens (at least this time).

The mastermind behind this exciting project was Daniela de Paulis, artist in residence at the SETI Institute. Their goal was to simulate what it would be like to receive and decipher an authentic alien signal. And while the message didn’t come from ET, the most amazing thing is that it did come from another planet!

An interplanetary journey of data

Picture the scene: May 24, 7:00 p.m. UTC. The European Space Agency’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), floating in Mars’ orbit, sends a mysterious signal toward Earth. 16 minutes later (the speed of light is no joke!), three giant radio telescopes on our planet captured the message:

SETI Institute’s Allen Telescope Array

Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope at the Green Bank Observatory

The Radio Astronomy Station for Medicine’s Observatory

And so the race was on. More than 4,000 people around the world embarked on the adventure of deciphering the enigmatic message.

The Unexpected Heroes: A Father-Daughter Duo

Days, weeks, months passed… The suspense grew. Who would be able to solve the mystery? And then, on June 7, the heroes of this story emerged: John and Sarah (not their real names, but it sounds more epic that way, don’t you think?).

This father-daughter duo achieved what thousands of people couldn’t: they presented De Paulis with the right solution. How did they do it? Well, wait, because this is getting scientific:

They figured out that the message might be related to a model of computation called cellular automata.

They were inspired by Conway’s famous “Game of Life” (no, it’s not a board game, it’s much more fascinating).

In this model, pixels can be “alive” or “dead” and evolve according to specific rules.

They used the Unity game engine (yes, the same one used to create video games) to process the message.

They performed 6,625 transformations to turn the gibberish of ones and zeros into something meaningful.

The hidden message: the fundamental building blocks of life

And now comes the most incredible thing. What do you think the message said? Well, it was nothing less than the basic recipe for life itself. The message encoded information about molecules crucial to life, represented by blocks of pixels:

Hydrogen: 1 pixel

Carbon: 6 pixels

Nitrogen: 7 pixels

Oxygen: 8 pixels

These elements are the basic ingredients of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. It’s as if the supposed “aliens” were saying to us: “Hey, Earthlings, do you know what we’re made of?”

This is just the beginning: the big question remains

But don’t think that the mystery has been completely solved. In fact, this is just the beginning. De Paulis designed this challenge to mimic what would happen if we received a real extraterrestrial signal:

First, you have to understand that it’s a communication (thanks, John and Sarah!).

Then comes the most intriguing part: the interpretation.

The big questions remain unanswered:

What does the signal really mean?

Why these five amino acids in particular?

What are they trying to tell us?

What if it were real? The importance of being prepared

This experiment is not just a fun game. It asks us important questions:

Are we ready to receive a real extraterrestrial message?

How would humanity react to such a discovery?

Do we have the tools and knowledge necessary to interpret an alien communication?

The “A Sign In Space” project shows us that global collaboration, creativity and innovative thinking are essential to tackling the mysteries of the universe.

Science and art: a cosmic marriage

This experiment is a beautiful example of how science and art can work together to inspire, educate and advance our knowledge. De Paulis, as an artist in residence at a scientific institute, shows us that creativity is just as important as scientific rigor when it comes to exploring the unknown.

What does the future hold?

As we continue to scan the sky for signs of intelligent life, experiments like this prepare us for the day when we might receive a real message from deep space. They teach us how to:

Think creatively and consider all possibilities.

Collaborate on a global scale to solve complex problems.

Combine different disciplines, from computer science to biology.

Keep an open mind when faced with the unknown.

Conclusion: One step closer to the stars

Decoding this “alien” signal is much more than a brain game. It is a reminder that the universe is full of mysteries waiting to be solved, and that humanity has the ingenuity and curiosity to tackle them.

Who knows, maybe the next message we decipher won’t be a simulation. Maybe, in the not-too-distant future, we will find ourselves unlocking the secrets of a real alien civilization. And when that day comes, we will be a little more prepared thanks to experiments like this.

So, the next time you look up at the starry sky, remember: someone, somewhere in the vast cosmos, may be trying to communicate with us. And thanks to people like Daniela de Paulis, John, Sarah and the thousands of enthusiasts who have participated in this project, we will be ready to listen and understand.

What about you? What do you think a real message from space would mean? Do you think we are alone in the universe? Share your thoughts and join the conversation. Who knows, maybe your perspective will be the key to unlocking the next great cosmic mystery.