Hey, Earthlings and Aliens: Discover Our New Album! How We Followed a 50-Year-Old Space Odyssey

It’s been nearly 50 years since an extraordinary record was sent into space, not to hit the pop charts but to reach beyond Earth. The Golden Record, created by astronomer Carl Sagan, is a 12-inch gold-plated copper disc filled with music, greetings, and sounds from our planet. It was meant for any potential alien life forms that might one day discover the Voyager probes launched in 1977.

The Golden Record includes classical tunes, greetings in multiple languages, and even the sounds of nature. But how would aliens interpret Beethoven or the call of a humpback whale? We may never know since the Voyager probes are now in the remote Kuiper Belt, with a chance of passing near a star—Gliese 445—around 40,000 years from now.

Yet, the Golden Record’s spirit lives on. As we near its 50th anniversary, it inspires new projects. The arts organization Artangel is releasing a series called Earth Rising: Messages from the Pale Blue Dot, showcasing modern messages about humanity.

Director Mariam Zulfiqar notes that today’s artists grapple with challenges like technology’s effects on human connection and climate change. Still, they carry hope for what humanity can achieve. She reminisces about how the Golden Record captured her imagination as a child. It was a romantic idea, sending our voice into the void without knowing who, if anyone, would listen.

This new series features a diverse mix of poems and sound compositions addressing current issues. For instance, Sebastián Riffo Valdebenito recorded sounds from ancient rock carvings in Chile, while Michel Nieva’s story imagines a future where humans colonize Mars. The pieces reflect a wide range of human experiences and emotions, much like the original Golden Record did, which even included brainwave recordings of Sagan’s wife.

Zulfiqar emphasizes the connections in the new works. Nigerian poet Ofem Ubi’s poem, Family Tree, touches on love and loss, resonating with many contributions that reflect personal and societal struggles.

Max Cooper, who has a background in science, creates music designed for noise to communicate across alien senses. He believes that just as eyes and ears evolved multiple times on Earth, alien senses might be similar. His work aims to break music down to its simplest forms so they could be understood by anyone, no matter how advanced they might be.

However, not all pieces in Earth Rising project a sense of hope. Some artists explore themes like dehumanization and societal injustice. Porsha Olayiwola, Boston’s poet laureate, uses her poetry to voice the urgency of these conversations in light of recent tragedies. She emphasizes the importance of speaking out, documenting injustices, and striving for change.

Though the mood might feel stark compared to the optimism of Sagan’s original project, Zulfiqar believes there is still hope in addressing our problems head-on. Olayiwola echoes this sentiment, suggesting that confronting despair can guide us toward a brighter future.

This new wave of creativity rooted in the Golden Record encourages us to look inward, advocate for change, and remain hopeful. As we continue to explore the universe, perhaps we also need to explore the depths of our humanity. For more information, check out Earth Rising: Messages from the Pale Blue Dot.

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