On 2nd of March 1972, pioneer 10 was launched into space, the first space probe to leave our solar system. Although ostensibly highly scientific, the plan was at heart child like: it was hoped that the probe would encounter aliens. For this reason ,the astronomer Carl Sagan was commissioned with the creation of the 15x23 centimetre plaque explaining our world.
But how should we explain our world to aliens?
Sagan optimistically presumed that our physical laws also applied to aliens. So he drew the most common element in the universe. The hydrogen atom, based on the assumption that there was a universal unit of length (hydrogen emits radio waves, with a wavelength of 21 centimetres). The web like net in the centre is a pulsar map. A kind of cosmic map that shows a position of our solar system. The human couple is standing and the man is depicted with genitals, the woman without. Both are caucasian: the man has his hand raised in greeting to indicate humans friendly intentions. Originally Sagan wanted you to depict the couple holding hands, but feared the Aliens might then interpret them as a single being. Behind the couple is the outline of Pioneer 10, so that the finders of this message could estimate the size of humans in relation to the probe. At the bottom edge of the plaque is a diagram of our solar system. On the left the sun, next to it the planets and then another sketch of the launch of the probe from Earth.
In the 1980's NASA it experts discovered that an unknown force had diverted the probe in the direction of the sun. In 1997 Pioneer 10, left our solar system at the speed of 12km/s. Since February 2003 there's been no further trace of the probe.
How would you explain our world to an alien?
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