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Communicating with Aliens — Reading Comprehension

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MS-ESS1-3

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This middle school science passage, aligned with NGSS standard MS-ESS1-3, examines the scientific and technological challenges of communicating with alien life. Students will learn about the vast distances separating stars, the time it takes for messages to travel across space, and real-world efforts like the Arecibo message and Voyager Golden Records. The passage explains why mathematical concepts and prime numbers might be used for universal communication, explores the debate over whether humanity should intentionally announce itself to unknown civilizations, and discusses what alien life forms might be like from an evolutionary perspective. Activities include a glossary, reading comprehension quiz, writing prompts, and graphic organizers to deepen understanding. Designed for grades 6-8, this resource also includes Spanish translations and audio integration, supporting diverse learners and enhancing science literacy. Key concepts include the systems and interactions involved in interstellar communication and the profound impact that discovering even microbial extraterrestrial life could have on our understanding of the universe.

CONTENT PREVIEW

DATR Supports Space Communication, Research Flights — DATR Supports Space Communication / NASA (Public domain).

Extraterrestrial communication is a scientific challenge that involves sending and receiving messages across vast distances in space. The question of whether we could ever talk to intelligent alien life is important because it addresses our place in the universe and the limits of technology. The nearest stars, such as Proxima Centauri, are over four light-years away, which means even a simple exchange would take decades. Scientists have already attempted to contact potential alien civilizations and are still debating if we should continue these efforts.

Distance and Time: The Challenge of Space Communication
Space is incredibly vast. A light-year is the distance light travels in one year—about 9.46 trillion kilometers. Proxima Centauri, the closest star system to Earth, is 4.2 light-years away. This means any message sent from Earth would take 4.2 years to arrive, and a reply would take another 4.2 years. Communicating with even the nearest alien civilization would be extremely slow. For example, the famous Arecibo message was sent in 1974 toward a star cluster 25,000 light-years away. The Voyager spacecraft, launched in the 1970s, carry Golden Records containing sounds and images from Earth, but they are not directed at any specific star and will take thousands of years to reach another system.

What Messages Should We Send?
Because we do not know what alien life is like, scientists focus on sending universal concepts such as mathematics. Prime numbers—numbers that can only be divided by 1 and themselves, like 2, 3, 5, 7, and 11—are often used because they show an understanding of mathematics and intelligence. The Arecibo message used a pattern of 1,679 bits (a product of two prime numbers) to demonstrate this. Pictures and music are also sent in hopes that images and sounds might be interpreted by other intelligent beings. However, there is a controversy called Active SETI (or METI): some scientists warn that announcing ourselves could be dangerous if unknown civilizations are hostile. Others argue that the potential for knowledge outweighs the risks.

What Would Aliens Be Like?
Scientists think it is unlikely that aliens would look like humans. Evolution on another planet would probably lead to life forms very different from us, possibly even microbial or beyond our current understanding. The discovery of even simple life, such as bacteria, would be transformative for science, showing that life can arise in many places. The existence of intelligent aliens would have even greater impact, potentially changing our view of ourselves and our place in the universe. The search for extraterrestrial intelligence connects to the scientific principle that systems interact and evolve in response to their environments.

In summary, communicating with aliens involves overcoming huge distances and making careful choices about what to send. It raises scientific, ethical, and philosophical questions about contact with other life forms. Whether or not we ever receive a reply, the search for extraterrestrial communication continues to drive scientific discovery.

Interesting Fact: The Voyager Golden Records include greetings in 55 languages, music from around the world, and even the sounds of a heartbeat and a whale song.

How far away is Proxima Centauri from Earth?

4.2 light-years25,000 light-years93 million miles1 light-year

What was the Arecibo message?

A radio message sent to a star cluster in 1974A spacecraft sent to Proxima CentauriA signal from aliensA type of telescope on Earth

What are Golden Records?

Records on Voyager spacecraft with Earth's sounds and imagesBooks about aliensA radio signal sent by AreciboA kind of telescope

What does 'extraterrestrial' mean in the passage?

From outside the planet EarthA kind of telescopeA type of mathOnly existing on Earth

In the passage, what does 'universal' mean?

Something true or accepted everywhereSomething found only on EarthA kind of radio signalA star system

Why do scientists use prime numbers in messages to aliens?

To show understanding of mathematics and intelligenceBecause they are easy to sayBecause aliens use the same languageBecause they are pictures