Early days of Radio

Radio astronomy has greatly increased our understanding of the universe. Radio telescope have one bi advantage over conventional telescopes in that they can operate in all weather conditions and can pick up signals coming from very distant stars. These signals are produced by colliding stars or nuclear reactions in outer space. The most powerful signals that have been received have been emitted by what seem to be truly colossal stars which scientists have named ‘quasars’. A better understanding of these phenomena may completely alter our conception of the nature of the universe. The radio telescope at Jodrell Bank in England was for many years the largest in the world. A new telescope, over twice the size, was recently built at Sugar Grove in West Virginia. Astronomers no longer regard as fanciful the idea that they may one day pick up signals which have been sent by intelligent beings on other worlds. This possibility gives rise to interesting speculations. Highly advanced civilization may have existed on other planets long before intelligent forms of life evolved on the earth. Conversely, intelligent beings which are just beginning to develop on remote worlds may be ready to pick up our signals in thousands of years time, or when life on earth has become extinct. Such speculations no longer belong to the realm of science fiction, for astronomers are now exploring the chances of communicating with living creatures on distant planets. This undertaking which has been named project Ozma was begun in 1960, but it may take a great many years before results are obtained. Aware of the fact that it would be impossible to wait thousands or millions of years to receive an answer from a distant planet, scientists engaged in Project Ozma are concentrating their attention on stars which are relatively close. One of the most likely stars in Tau Ceti which is eleven light years away. If signals form the earth were received by intelligent creatures on a planet circling this star, we would have to wait twenty-two years for an answer. The Green Bank telescope in West Virginia has been specially designed in distinguishes between random signals and signals which might be in code. Even if contact were eventually established, astronomers would not be able to rely on language to communicate with other beings. They would use mathematics as this is the only truly universal language. Numbers have the same value anywhere. For this reason, intelligent creatures in any part of the universe would be able to reply to our signals using similar methods. The next step would be to try to develop means for sending television pictures. A single picture would tell us more than thousands of words. In an age when anything seems possible, it would be narrow-minded in the extreme to ridicule these attempts to find out if there is life in other parts of the universe.