45 Years of Voyager; what would you add to the record?

[Shade_Wilder]

Hello Fellow Space Junkies!

(Posters above and below can be downloaded at https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/downloads/)

This morning I got an article in my feed about the Voyager(s) and it got me thinking...

First, what is the Voyager program? The simple answer is that it consists of two space probes which were launched to take advantage of a rare alignment of the outer planets (once every 175 years) in order to utilize planetary gravity to give it a push to the next target(s); even thinking of the math/calculations involved gives me a migraine. It is worth having a read to (re) acquire knowledge of the program. 

https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/45-years-ago-voyager-1-begins-its-epic-journey-to-the-outer-planets-and-beyond

One of the more controversial aspects to the mission was the inclusion of the "Golden Record". It was controversial for many reasons, but two stand out. First, it was Human-Centric, if that is actually a word. More simply, it assumed that any aliens finding would have a Hi-Fi system or some other means of playing it and accessing the information, but what if an alien who found it communicated by scent and was ethereal? Hmm...

The second reason for some controversy was the idea that we should tell aliens where we were; the simple question was asked "what if they were hostile?". Human history shows that when an advanced culture meets a less advanced culture, the less advanced culture suffers greatly (Native Americans, the Aussie Aboriginals, etc.), and while that may not apply to any alien visitors, why take the chance?

However, what is done is done.

The contents of the Golden Record were chosen by a panel led by Carl Sagan (see links).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_Golden_Record

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/what-is-on-voyagers-golden-record-73063839/

A question to members; if there were a "Golden Record" made today, what info would you put on it?

I haven't given it as much thought as I would like, so I am going to hold off for a bit before I answer; perhaps it is a 'weekend' type question

Any thoughts?

[BigHewer]

43 minutes ago, Shade_Wilder said:

The contents of the Golden Record were chosen by a panel led by Carl Sagan (see links).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_Golden_Record

I’d heard about some of the songs before but wasn’t aware of most of the images. I think the images need updating and refining. 

The eating and drinking images make us look like hungry savages, kind of unsettling.

 

[Shade_Wilder]

Morning BH

I had a hunch you'd be the first commentator/poster; I suspect even the mention of Voyager on-line would be enough to wake you from a deep sleep .

1 hour ago, BigHewer said:

The eating and drinking images make us look like hungry savages, kind of unsettling.

I would argue that we are hungry savages, but we'll save that discussion for another time.

I am working on a few assumptions. First, the probes are already out there, so we would be merely updating/adding information, not starting anew; one of my rules in life is don't argue with Carl Sagan about space stuff. Second, any aliens who see them would be governed by something like a "Prime Directive" from Star Trek (did anyone think that I wasn't a Trekkie? Seriously?). Finally, any alien smart enough to get here (-ish) would be smart enough to access and understand the data.

Okay, some preliminary thoughts...

I would update the music section in two ways. I have read (but can't remember where) that there is a connection between some of the greatest classical composers/compositions and higher-level mathematics, so I would consult and increase the music section where there may be a correlation. Second, I'd increase the number of love songs; perhaps 5 a year from the each of the last fifty years. I can't think of another artistic means by which we express our love emotion more widely than song, and if we are trying to let aliens know what we are like, we need to expand on that a bit. Think about it; I recall from my youth a cheesy love song (Sometimes when we touch by Dan Hill) which, if this were a real name Forum, I'd never admit to, but I still remember all the lyrics. Go figure. And, yes, it is embarrassing.

Next, I'd update the DNA section massively, and include plant life as well as animals (I think that there is data in the Norwegian Seed Vault). I'd do this for two reasons. First, if they were interested in us, I would lean toward giving them more rather than less information in advance; they likely would be more technologically advanced and could use it to all of our benefits (avoid potential disease, discern if food is edible, etc.). Second, as we are a species that sometime is Dumb as F***, we may have already blown ourselves away, so why not give them the data and perhaps they could reincarnate us?

Moving on, I'd add a list of mistakes that we, as a species, have made. I'd include this in the hope that the aliens would see that we weren't always/all dumb as F***, and that we had the capacity to learn. Further, perhaps we might impress with our humility. Finally, we humans might actually benefit if the wisest among us made the list to be added; perhaps we might learn something in the process.

The Political/Social Scientist in me would include a break down of all the governing philosophies and governing structures that Humans use; I can't think of a better way to explain how we think than to explain how we choose to organize ourselves for the 'Common Good'. 

Okay, that is a very preliminary beginning and MUCH more thought is needed.

Anyone else want to take a shot at it?

The Golden Record...

[BigHewer]

3 hours ago, Shade_Wilder said:

I would argue that we are hungry savages, but we'll save that discussion for another time.

I’m inclined to agree The images are as shocking as our own state, upon reflection.

 

3 hours ago, Shade_Wilder said:

I am working on a few assumptions. First, the probes are already out there, so we would be merely updating/adding information, not starting anew; one of my rules in life is don't argue with Carl Sagan about space stuff.

Is it true that Carl Sagan wanted to include “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles but was overruled or prevented from doing so? 

 

3 hours ago, Shade_Wilder said:

Moving on, I'd add a list of mistakes that we, as a species, have made.

I’m sure the aliens would identify quite a few other mistakes we’re not aware of. “The unknown unknowns. Things we don’t know that we don’t know” (to paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld). 

Right then Shade, I need one of those famous lattes of yours (or perhaps something stronger)

[lspab]

I've seen Independance Day and Battle Los Angeles. I wouldn't give too much away, in case they are a Planet conquering species.

Probably makes sense to concoct a device that gets any sentient species to press a button or two, and those actions tell us more about them, than anything about us. I'm not sure of the technology that would be needed, or even possible, for a future earth, thousands of years in the future, to receive a signal that indicates an alien is pressing alt-ctrl-delete.

Simple exercises by the species could allow a future human society to debate what sort of species is it (are they warlike, peaceful, do they even fit with human definitions of behaviour), and do we want to make further contact or not.

[KaptainRob]

16 hours ago, BigHewer said:

Is it true that Carl Sagan wanted to include “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles but was overruled or prevented from doing so? 

"Dark Side of the Moon" tracks might have been a good accompaniment for that ... just saying ... 

[BigHewer]

12 hours ago, KaptainRob said:

"Dark Side of the Moon" tracks might have been a good accompaniment for that ... just saying ... 

I can’t believe I missed that. Yes, the obvious inclusion

[Shade_Wilder]

20 hours ago, KaptainRob said:

"Dark Side of the Moon" tracks might have been a good accompaniment for that ... just saying ... 

Gentlemen; you are picking the best that Humanity has to offer, but the reality is that we aren't always that good. Perhaps a better pick would be this year's 100% certain Academy-award winning Best Picture movie...

[BigHewer]

3 hours ago, Shade_Wilder said:

Gentlemen; you are picking the best that Humanity has to offer, but the reality is that we aren't always that good. Perhaps a better pick would be this year's 100% certain Academy-award winning Best Picture movie...

I’ve no objections to ‘Shark Side of the Moon’, just so long as the aliens don’t watch ‘Battle Los Angeles’.

On 9/8/2022 at 9:54 PM, lspab said:

I've seen Independance Day and Battle Los Angeles. I wouldn't give too much away, in case they are a Planet conquering species.

 

[stevenkongju]

Perhaps the first item on the record should not be an address by Kurt Waldheim. Wermacht officers are probably not our best representatives.

[Rookiescot]

"We have been trying to contact you regarding your car warranty".