\tRecently, scientists at NASA discovered seven Earth-sized planets just about 40 light-years away from us, three of them are situated in a habitable zone. Findings like this one make one wonder if this means that we’re a step closer to contacting intelligent life elsewhere.<\/p>\n
\tWhile today many scientists don’t see it as a priority, it has crossed the mind of few people that perhaps we should take the initiative and sending them a message. Fortunately for most of us, exactly 40 years ago, experts have already sent a compilation of sounds and images to the unknown cosmos.<\/p>\n
\tAs part of the 1977 Voyager Program, American scientists launched a spacecraft that contained a recording of images and sounds from various cultures on planet Earth.<\/p>\n
\tThe Golden Record, named for its gold-plated copper construction, contains greetings in 55 languages out of which four are different varieties of spoken Chinese. Here’s what the recordings say:<\/p>\n
\tWu: Best wishes to you all.<\/p>\n
\tCantonese: Hi. How are you? Wish you peace, health, and happiness.<\/p>\n
\tMandarin: Hope everyone’s well. We are thinking about you all. Please come here to visit when you have time.<\/p>\n
\tMinnan: Friends of space, how are you all? Have you eaten yet? Come visit us if you have time.<\/p>\n
\tIn addition to greetings in different languages and a salute from the then-Secretary General of the UN, Kurt Waltdheim, the Golden Record contains sounds of the planet that go from thunder to human laughter.<\/p>\n
\tMusic has also been included into the recorded material. China included a masterpiece by Bo Ja, a guqin player from the first half of the Zhou dynasty approximately dating back to 700 B.C. It’s called “Liu Shui” or “Flowing Streams” (\u6d41\u6c34)—have a listen:<\/p>\n
\tIf the message was to be sent today, what would you include?<\/p>\n