NASA Beams Beatles' "Across The Universe" Through Space

Posted about 1 year ago

Jai guru deva om ... Does NASA hope that these soothing lyrics by Paul McCartney and John Lennon are going to prevent an alien invasion? In an unprecedented event, today, Monday, February 2nd, 2008 at 7PM EST, NASA will beam the Beatles' song "Across the Universe," literally across the universe to Polaris. A trip that will take the MP3 some 431 years to reach the North Star, 2.5 quadrillion miles away.

But why? Have they found life out there that's requesting Beatles classics? Hardly. This marks the first time the U.S. space agency has sent a song through space, but its strictly for nostalgic reasons. So, you can put your ray guns down.photo via Product-Reviews

Not only is it the 40th anniversary of the song, but also the 45th anniversary of NASA's Deep Space Network, an international network of communication facilities that supports interplanetary spacecraft missions, and radio and radar astronomy observations for the exploration of the solar system and the universe which communicates with its distant probes. It's also the 50th anniversary of NASA. Not to mention the fact that the DVD of the Julie Taymor movie named after the Beatles song hits shelves tomorrow, a day after the transmission.

What did McCartney have to say about it all? "Send my love to the aliens." Nanu-nanu.

Comments (5)

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ZZTodd says sweet

Permalink posted 02/04/2008
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Wahiawa786 says Um, I hate to bring this up, but on The History Channel's "Life After People," SETI researchers found that terrestrial radio and TV signals weaken rapidly as they travel in space. The farthest such signals travel is 2-3 light years, which is far short of the edge of our milky way galaxy. Mars may attack, but the Vulcans haven't heard "Oobie Doobie."

Permalink posted 02/04/2008
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chrisay says i'm not 100% sure but i think TV and radio signals they're talking about are different. If they wanted to beam an mp3 to a distant planet like that, they would use a very powerful transmitter antenna which would transmit at very high frequencies like microwaves and focused in a directional beam.. as opposed to an omnidirectional tv or radio antenna which radiates in all directions. cool idea transmitting a song like that. but 431 light years? i'm sure there's closer systems

Permalink posted 02/11/2008
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The Evolution Control Committee says "This marks the first time the U.S. space agency has sent a song through space..." By radio, that is. But go back 30 years and you'll find the actual first US Space Agency attempt to rock out aliens: The Voyager Golden Record, with 31 tracks of music for whatever DJ aliens find it first. Cartridge and needle included. (cue Falco) "Ooh! Rock Me Carl Sagan!" Highly recommended companion reading: Murmurs of Earth

Permalink posted 02/13/2008
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Petah says Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't space a vacuum, lacking a medium for the waves to travel upon? I'm pretty sure soundwaves are mechanical.

Permalink posted 02/16/2008