Drake's experiment

J. RAMANAN

Frank Drake, astro physicist is the founder of "Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence," shortly known as SETI Radio Telescopes at SETI search the cosmos for any signal from any part of the universe.

If scientists do receive some kind of a signal, then how is it decoded? Mathematics is a universal language. The binary language which is the basis of the modern computer is a universal language. Series of yes, and no or bips and beeps can be understood by any being. Frank Drake decided to test this and he told his colleagues that at one particular radio frequency he would be sending a series of signals and asked them to de-code it. The experiment became internationally famous, because no one could de-code it. Can you try? There are two sets of signals. The first is called the beacon signal. This is to attract your attention. The second set of signals are the actual message. Try de-coding them...

(A) Beacon signal

Bip, bip, bip, bip, bip... 13 times

Beep, beep, beep... 23 times

Repeated several times.

(B) Actual message

Can be 0, 1 or Bip and Beep or Run & Ran etc. anything.

Try De-coding the Message.

Answer:

The Beacon signal is the key. Repeated Bips of 13 (Prime number) and 23 (again Prime number) is to catch your attention. Surely this is a mathematical number and so the source is artificial.

Now make a Matrix of squares (Grid) Horizontally 13 and vertically 23. Line by line leave the square blank if it is 0 and fill up the square if it is 1, and see the result for yourself!

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Features
Previous : Quick answers
Next     : Young World Quiz (September 15, 2001)