Published: 11:43 AM 12/14/2010
by Jasmine Malone
Included on both Voyager spacecraft are Golden Records, containing sounds and
images that if they are found by extraterrestrial life forms, are supposed to best
portray the diversity of life on Earth.
Flying board Voyagers 1 and 2 are identical "golden" records, carrying the story of
Earth far into deep space.
The 12 inch gold-plated copper discs contain greetings in
60 languages, samples of music from different cultures and eras, and natural and man
-made sounds from Earth Photo:
Two of the Pioneer probes, which were launched before Voyager 1 and 2 in the
1970s, were equipped with a small metal plaque stating the time and place of origin of
the spacecraft onboard for the benefit of any space entity that they might encounter.
NASA got more creative with the Voyager probes however, and put together a sort of
time-capsule – a selection of images and recordings – that they felt best represent the
life on Earth.
Known as the Golden Record, the choice of sounds and music is intriguing. There is a
selection of greetings from people in 55 different languages, as well as printed
messages from former US President Jimmy Carter and other world leaders.
The music choices range from classical masterpieces such Bach's Brandenberg
Concerto No 2 in F First Movement to "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry, “Melancholy
Blues" by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Seven and "Dark Was the Night" by Blind Willie
Johnson.
Other interesting Earth tidbits for the curious alien traveler include sounds and paintings
of our animals, such as whales, dolphins and eagles, as well as a variety of pictures of
all the different types of humans, artwork, mathematical diagrams and images of
mothers, babies and children.
And for those that are wondering how, exactly, a being from outer space would work
out how to access the Earth library on the Golden Record, instructions in the form of a
step-by-step illustration has been engraved on it’s metallic cover.
As Voyager 1 ventures outside the solar system in the next few years, we can only
hope that any beings it encounters like the blues.
