Testing SETI Message Designs

TL;DR

This paper presents a blind test of interstellar message decoding, demonstrating that a carefully designed 75-kilobit message can be accurately deciphered, supporting its potential for extraterrestrial communication.

Contribution

It introduces a novel blind decoding test of an interstellar message, validating the message design as effective for communicating with extraterrestrial intelligences.

Findings

Deciphered a 75-kilobit message accurately

Supports the effectiveness of the message design for SETI

Demonstrates feasibility of interstellar message interpretation

Abstract

Much work in SETI has focused on detecting radio broadcasts due to extraterrestrial intelligence, but there have been limited efforts to transmit messages over interstellar distances. As a check if such messages can be interpreted once received, we conducted a blind test. One of us coded a 75-kilobit message, which the other then attempted to decipher. The decryption was accurate, supporting the message design as a general structure for communicating with aliens capable of detecting narrow-band radio transmissions.