A Sign in Space - Signs in Space

A Sign in Space is a multidisciplinary art project conceived by artist Daniela De Paulis. De Paulis is leading a global team to send an encoded message from the European Space Agency (ESA) ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) back to Earth, simulating a signal an advanced extraterrestrial civilization could eventually send to Earth. The message will be “detected” by four radio astronomy observatories on Earth: the SETI Institute’s Allen Telescope Array (ATA), The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT), the National Science Foundation’s Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) and the Medicina Radio Astronomical Station observatory managed by INAF (the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics). De Paulis and her team developed the encoded message, but its contents remain unknown, even to most of the collaborating partners.

The message will be transmitted from the TGO on May 24 at 19:16 UTC/12:15 pm PDT.
  
Following the transmission, the A Sign in Space team will host a series of Zoom-based discussions open to the public around topics that consider the societal implications of detecting a signal from an extraterrestrial civilization. The discussions will take place over 6-8 weeks after the transmission.

Join “A Sign in Space” Artistic Director in a lively and thought provoking brainstorming session about the possible meaning of the simulated extra-terrestrial message created for the project. The workshop will start by reading some excerpts from Italo Calvino’s book “Cosmicomics” and will continue with a conversation with the workshop’s participants on possible forms of communication attempted by an extraterrestrial civilization with human and non-human life forms. Be prepared to draw and write if you wish.

Hosted by Daniela de Paulis

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