Eric Habich‑Traut, founder of The Contact Project, blends technology, human potential and cosmic inquiry. His extraordinary journey spans intrauterine memories shared with figures like Bradbury and Dalí; childhood inventions; a 1986 UFO sighting in Ireland; precognitive visions of the Challenger and K‑219 disasters; and quantum‑physics inspiration from Prof. Günter Nimtz. His 2025 research introduces new math on the “Wow!” signal’s speed, theorizes superluminal brain waves behind PSI phenomena, and offers a simplified string‑theory model of quantum entanglement. Space and time remain our next frontier.
At a quarter past ten in the evening on August 15, 1977 a once-in-a-lifetime event took place in Delaware:
A very strong signal arrived at the “Big Ear” radio telescope. It had all the characteristics of having come from an extraterrestrial intelligent source.
The OSU Big Ear radio observatory was aligned in North/South direction. The parabolic reflector is in the South.
No one was at the telescope at the time. The receiver and telescope computer were doing their jobs all by themselves. Therefore, the signal was actually first detected by a machine, a twelve-year-old computer.
BITS OF INFORMATION The IBM 1130 had first been built in 1965. It looked and felt like an old battleship. It had only 1 megabyte of memory. For that reason, the only record of the radio signal is a 6-digit printout on endless paper. There’s no audio recording of the signal. Today we would have a complete audio recording of it, measuring megabytes, if not gigabytes. But in those days, just six characters on paper had to suffice as a record.
After a few days, the stack of computer printouts from the Selectric printer was bundled by Big Ear technician Gene Mikesell and brought to Jerry Ehman’s home.
Press to stop printing. An IBM 1130 printer, this was the type used at the Big Ear radio-telescope in 1977.
THE ANALYSIS Jerry Ehman was a SETI volunteer with Ohio State University. Together with Bob Dixon, he had written the software for the Big Ear computer in FORTRAN and assembler.
Around the 19th of August, Jerry began analyzing the printouts from the radio telescope at his home, looking for unusual radio signatures.
A few pages into the pile of paper, he saw a peculiar sequence of numbers and characters.
He was astonished. After highlighting in red pen the six characters “6EQUJ5,” Jerry wrote the notation “Wow!” in the left margin of the computer printout opposite them.
The Wow! signal printout
The characters and numbers denoted a very strong narrow-band transmission. Apparently it had come from outer space. Narrow-band transmissions usually don’t occur naturally and are a sign of artificial origin.
Conventionally speaking, all artificial things are made by humans. That’s because human language, and the Cambridge Dictionary, defines “artificial” as “made by humans.” That definition may have to be revised.
OPTIMUM CHANNEL The Wow! transmission had all the hallmarks of a radio signal from a non-human extraterrestrial civilization. In the 1959 article “Searching for Interstellar Communications,” Giuseppe Cocconi and Philip Morrison explained that using the 21 cm hydrogen frequency was a logical choice for SETI.
And that was precisely the frequency of the Wow! signal. It had come from the direction in the sky where the constellation Sagittarius is found.
The Big Ear radio and computer shack.
If we transfer the number codes from the Wow! printout to plotting paper we can see the waxing and waning strength of the 1420 mHz radio beam that reached the radio telescope. Each of the letters and numbers corresponds to a certain signal intensity, as the next graph illustrates.
The signal may have been transmitting for centuries and was never detected because no one looked for it before. The signal source did not move in the sky. The only thing that moved over for 72 seconds was the Earth, rotating majestically from East to West as the radio receiver moved in and out of the signal beam.
And then the signal vanished. Gone. The signal would have been picked up again by the second horn antenna of Big Ear. But it was no longer there.
The rise and fall of the signal we see in the graph above was due to the antenna pattern, the signal itself remained at constant strength.
The graph below shows a similar signal pattern in “OV-221,” the radio source to the right of the Wow! signal. (OV-221 is also known as MSH 19–203 (Mills Slee Hill Radio Sources)).
In this broadband continuum record the Wow! signal does not show up because it is too narrow-band.
Today I’m waiting to hear if OV-221 corresponds to the center of the Milky Way galaxy, Sagittarius A*, but no one seems to know the old radio source designations anymore.
After Jerry Ehman showed the computer printout of the Wow! signal to John Kraus and Bob Dixon, they immediately talked about it, speculating and making hypotheses. Quickly, John and Bob began to investigate the various possibilities.
Dr. John Kraus was a physicist and the designer of the Big Ear radio telescope. He actually invented several types of radio antennas.
Bob Dixon was the director of SETI at Ohio State University radio telescope.
Together they excluded the possibility of the signal having been a plane, planet, asteroid, comet, satellite, spacecraft, ground-based transmitter, or any other known natural source.
Now, since the Wow! signal appeared to be unnatural and no known human cause for it could be found, it was suspected that it could have come from a technological alien civilization.
It was decided to go back to the region in space where the signal had come to see if it could be found again. The scientific method calls for the reproducibility of any experiment or result.
Weeks turned to months, and years into decades as astronomers from all over the world searched the region in space where the Wow! signal had been detected.
The Wow! signal was never found again.
Calculations on the space region of the Wow! signal
Image by The Planetary Society, license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/
The Wow! signal was observed for 72 seconds. In this time a region of space equivalent to 18 arcminutes was scanned, according to the following calculations:
24h x 60 min = 1440 mins/day = 86400 sec 360° / 86400 = 0.0041° per second 72 seconds = 0.3°
An arcminute (denoted by the symbol ‘), is an angular measurement equal to 1/60 of a degree or 60 arcseconds. To convert a degree measurement to a minute of arc measurement, we multiply the angle by the conversion ratio.
The angle in minutes of arc is equal to the degrees multiplied by 60: 0.3 x 60 = 18 arcminutes.
As seen from the Earth, the Sun and Moon both have angular diameters of about 30 arcminutes. The full moon’s average apparent size is about 31 arcminutes (or 0.52°).
In other words, the Wow! signal spanned an area of about half the size of the Sun or the Moon, as seen from Earth in the sky. That is a rather large area in astronomy.
On the basis of this simple calculation, I cannot readily agree that the Wow! signal came from a pointlike source. That may or may not be a problem. It can be resolved by agreeing that the resolution of the Big Ear radio telescope was not any better!
The frequency and speed of the Wow! signal source
It’s assumed that aliens that use the hydrogen frequency do so in a manner to compensate for the motion of their planet with respect to the motion of Earth. Otherwise, the precise frequency of the hydrogen becomes higher or lower.
That’s why it’s important to look at the precise frequency of the signal.
Jerry Ehman in 1998 gave a value of 1420.4556±0.005 MHz.
This is (50±5 kHz) above the hydrogen line value of 1420.4058 MHz.
Only one of those frequencies could be the correct one. The explanation of the difference between Ehman’s and Kraus’s values was that a new oscillator had been ordered for the frequency of 1450.4056 MHz.
The university’s purchasing department then made a typographical error in the order and wrote 1450.5056 MHz instead of 1450.4056 MHz. The software used in the experiment was then written to adjust for this error. When Ehman computed the frequency of the Wow! signal, he took this error into account.
After all errors are accounted for, the Doppler shift of 1420.4556 MHz indicates that the Wow! signal source moved at a speed of 37,893 km/h towards Earth. The following calculations show how I arrived at that speed:
Calculations on the Doppler shift of the Wow! signal
The Wow! signal was detected at 1420.4556 MHz. First we need to convert the frequency to the wavelength. The wavelength is given by the frequency and the speed of light, how far one wave crest travels in a given time span.
The frequency of the Wow! signal 1420.4556 MHz is equal to a wavelength of (Δλ) 21.105373 cm. That’s the distance between each wave crest.
The presumed origin signal of hydrogen has a precise frequency of 1420405751.768 Hz, equivalent to the wavelength of (λ) 21.106114054160 cm. Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_line
Now we subtract 299 781 932.02409 m/sec [Doppler shifted Wow! signal speed from v = (Δλ/λ) * c] -299 792 458 m/sec [ speed of light (c)] ______________________
10 526 m/sec = 37 893 km/h or 10.526 km/sec.
Ref. 1: The source of the Wow! signal approached Earth at a speed of 37 893 km/h or 23 545 mph, if the transmission frequency was from hydrogen.
The average speed of asteroids is 18-20 km/s vs. the 10.52 km/s from the Wow! signal. Comets that impact Earth usually are also faster, at 30 km/s.
The Wow! signal has been the strongest and only serious candidate for ETi radio communication for almost half a century. New calculations support that the Wow! signal may have originated from a moving source heading for Earth, adding to its
Mathematical equations can be considered evidence, but the context in which they are used is crucial. This is particularly evident when we examine events like the Wow! Signal, where data interpretation plays a significant role.
In the case of the Wow! signal, which was a strong narrowband radio signal detected by the Big Ear radio telescope in 1977, considering a mathematical equation as evidence requires careful consideration. It is important to consider the context and underlying assumptions.
Context of the Wow! Signal
Observational Nature: The Wow! signal was a one-time event that has not been observed again since its detection. This raises questions about reproducibility and the reliability of the interpretation of the signal.
Doppler Effect: The Doppler equation suggests blueshift (indicating that the signal source was approaching Earth). This is based on the principles of the Doppler effect. The Doppler effect describes how the frequency of emitted waves changes depending on the relative motion of the source and the observer. If a source is moving toward the observer, the waves are compressed, leading to a higher frequency (blueshift).
Mathematical Equation as Evidence
(Daguerreotype of Christian Andreas Doppler, 1803-1853)
In this instance, the mathematical equations associated with the Doppler effect can serve as supportive evidence.
This is possible if the following conditions are met:
Interpretation of the Signal: The mathematical model using the Doppler effect must be appropriately applied to the observed frequency of the Wow! signal. If the frequency of the signal is higher than what would be expected if the source were stationary, this shift can indeed be calculated. Then, using the Doppler equation, it provides a logical framework supporting the hypothesis that the source is moving towards Earth.
Consistency with Observations: For the equation to be considered evidence, it must be consistent with other data. We need to consider the characteristics of the signal (frequency, duration, etc.) and any additional analysis. For example, the lack of nearby astronomical sources that could explain the signal.
Limitations and Alternatives: While the Doppler equation suggests that the source was approaching, it is crucial to acknowledge the limitations of this interpretation. The single observation leaves room for alternative explanations. For example, it could have been interference or another cosmic phenomenon.
But we need to acknowledge that terrestrial interference or cosmic phenomena have long ago been ruled out by Dick Arnold, Bob Dixon, Jerry Ehman Ed Teiga and John Kraus.
The Wow! Signal equation serves as evidence for a hypothesis, rather than serving as conclusive proof. The scientific method requires ruling out other explanations. Obtaining corroborating evidence through multiple observations or analyses is necessary before drawing definitive conclusions.
“There is no evidence that can’t be contradicted either by fact or lies.”
Erich Habich-Traut
In human discourse, where perception and persuasion play roles, that statement reflects a pragmatic reality: evidence is often subject to challenge, whether valid or not.
What type of evidence is logically or empirically unassailable?
Call for Action
Okay, we are looking for corroborating evidence for the hypothesis that Earth is being visited by extraterrestrial spacecraft, and has been for some time. We are looking for multiple observations as corroborating evidence. Does anyone have “corroborating evidence”?
(There are literally hundreds of thousands of reported unexplained sightings. Here is just a small number, two of which are mine. This explains my interest in this subject.)
Exhibit A: the Calvine UFO
What really happened in Calvine? The mystery behind the best UFO picture ever seen
In August 1990, two hikers sent photos of a strange diamond-shaped aircraft to the press – but the story never appeared. Was it a prank, a hoax, an optical illusion or something else entirely?
Exhibit B: the Puerto Rico UFO
50-Year-Old “Best Photograph Of A UFO Ever Taken” Goes Viral
The photo was taken by Sergio Loaiza in September, 1971, as he flew over Costa Rica on a mission to survey land for the construction of a hydroelectric project.
Exhibit C: the Salthill Sighting, my own sighting, 1986, Mufon #11680
THE SALTHILL UFO
THE SALTHILL UFO SIGHTING, GALWAY, 22nd February – 1st of March 1986
Exhibit D: the M6 sighting, my own sighting, 1995, Mufon #82139
My “lost” UFO sighting
Why I’m coming forward now During April 2020 I had a lot of time on my hands. It was the first Corona lockdown in Germany. I decided to sort through old 35 mm negatives in an old drawer in our basement. The drawer serves as a storage box. As I was pulling the film strips … Continue reading “My “lost” UFO sighting”
The Pentagon has officially released three short videos showing “unidentified aerial phenomena” that had previously been released by a private company.
I have been contemplating the implications of the blue shift observed in the Wow! signal equations, as well as the nature of its source.
Background: this article explains the Wow! signal equations:
The Wow! Signal: A Cosmic Riddle Solved by Mathematics?
Learn about the Wow! Signal, its unique characteristics, and how the Doppler effect plays a role in interpreting this event.
So, why would the Wow! signal have been blue-shifted?
Hydrogen-Fusion Drive
1: The signal source is the emission of a hydrogen fusion drive for object deceleration. Hydrogen fusion drives currently exceed human technology. The signal source “object” had a speed similar to that of Apollo capsules during their entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
I am not categorically suggesting that this “object” entered the atmosphere; rather, I am stating that the speed of the signal source was comparable to that of the Apollo capsules. However, it cannot be excluded that the Wow! signal source (the object the hypothetical fusion drive was attached to) entered the Earth’s atmosphere and landed.
An artist’s rendering of the Apollo command module’s re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. Image by NASA
Hydrogen Maser
2: The signal source was a hydrogen maser that was approaching the Earth and emitted a signal. The reason for this is unknown. Was extraterrestrial intelligence attempting to attract attention? If so, then why was the signal not repeated?
Image: Space hydrogen maser, ESA
Related Sightings?
3: As a consequence, were there unusual UFO sightings on or after August 18, 1977? Or did other extraordinary events occur after 18. August 1977?
A. Two days later, on August 20, 1977, NASA successfully launched the first Voyager spacecraft. It carried a golden record with sounds and images of Earth, intended as a message to any intelligent life form that might encounter it.
Voyager Golden Record
B. On October 6, 1977, the United Nations Assembly debated the existence of UFOs. The researchers presented a proposal to investigate the phenomenon.
U.N. Hears Call to Debate U.F.O.’s
UNITED NATIONS, N.Y., Oct. 7 Grenada’s Prime Minister picked a drowsy Friday afternoon to share a personal revelation with fellow diplomats.
C. On November 26, 1977, a strange transmission interrupted a news program on ITN, a British television channel. A distorted voice claiming to be Vrillon, a representative of the Ashtar Galactic Command, replaced the sound.
Southern Television broadcast interruption – Wikipedia
The Southern Television broadcast interruption was a broadcast signal intrusion that occurred on 26 November 1977 in parts of southern England in the United Kingdom. The audio of a Southern Television broadcast was replaced by a voice claiming to represent the “Ashtar Galactic Command”, delivering a message instructing humanity to abandon its weapons so it could participate in a “future awakening” and “achieve a higher state of evolution”. After six minutes, the broadcast returned to its scheduled programme.
A, B and C are just some examples that immediately come to mind, when thinking about 1977—they are not inclusive.
The Wow! signal, a mysterious radio transmission detected in 1977, continues to provoke debate within the astronomical community. Some claim that the signal has been debunked, primarily by a new generation of undergraduate radio astronomers working within the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). These aspiring scientists often seek to make a name for themselves by challenging existing theories and offering alternative explanations for promising SETI candidate signals.
Recent Attempts to Debunk the Wow! Signal
The latest attempt to debunk the Wow! signal stems from undergraduates involved in the Laser SETI project. They recently published a thesis arguing that the Wow! signal was a byproduct of a strong natural radio emission from a nearby star, which purportedly excited a nearby hydrogen cloud. However, this theory is fraught with problems. To elaborate, not only has this behavior never been observed in nature, but calculations also indicate that no star could emit sufficient radiation to adequately excite a hydrogen cloud to produce such a signal—this discrepancy is by an order of several magnitudes.
Celebration and Media Reaction
In response to their findings, the students involved in Laser SETI celebrated their work with accolades and disseminated their conclusions through social media platforms, claiming to have “solved” the mystery of the Wow! signal. As is often the case, the media quickly picked up this narrative, declaring the Wow! signal debunked. Millions of readers absorbed this information without questioning its validity.
Contradictions in the Hydrogen Cloud Theory
Furthermore, it is important to note that the characteristics of the Wow! signal, as it was actually detected, strongly contradict the hydrogen cloud theory. Specifically, the signal exhibited a blue shift, indicating that it was approaching Earth, a behavior that is inconsistent with the expected properties of hydrogen clouds.
The Importance of Critical Examination
In conclusion, while the search for answers continues, it is crucial to approach claims of debunking with a critical eye. The Wow! signal remains one of the most intriguing phenomena in the field of radio astronomy, prompting continued investigation and discussion. Rather than hastily dismissing it, scientists and enthusiasts alike should remain open to the numerous possibilities the Wow! signal presents, as we persist in our quest to understand the cosmos.
Questioning the Intentions of SETI Researchers
The image below is from the presentation of Laser SETI regarding the Wow! signal. Is SETI supposed to find extraterrestrial intelligence, or is it employed to obfuscate and deny every credible claim?
Laser SETI astronomers Dr. Lauren Sgro and Dr. Franck Marchis, via YouTube
Look at the guys from Laser SETI grinning and giving the thumbs up sign. Whose side are they on? Do they believe that SETI serves as a lucrative venture, allowing them to conduct insignificant studies that yield no results, only to receive taxpayer funds into their bank accounts, all while feigning a diligent pursuit of truth and the advancement of humanity?
I have doubts.
Why did not ONE radio astronomer publish the Doppler calculations of the Wow! signal? Did they not even think of doing it?
Here are the equations, after 48 years: PDF: Doppler Blueshift Calculations for WOW! signal (1977): [download here]
In quantum mechanics, particles don’t have definite positions or velocities until they are measured. Instead, they are described by a wave function that provides a probability distribution for where a particle might be found. This wave function is often determined using the Schrödinger equation.
Image: “Real life pipe”, inspired by surrealist René Magritte’s “Ceci n’est pas une pipe”
The idea that particles pop in and out of existence in random places based on probability calculations is not science; it’s ignorance. It serves as a mathematical crutch because we don’t know the mechanism that explains the behavior of quantum particles. The Schrödinger equation helps in these probability calculations.
To argue that probability calculations are the mechanism for this behavior is like claiming that the sun rises every day because there’s a 99.9999% probability that it rises every day. This sunrise probability is empirically proven. It may have been invoked to explain sunrises in the Middle Ages, because we didn’t know of any other good reason. But we know since Copernicus that the real reason for the sunrise is Earth’s rotation (around the sun).
We can theoretically describe any system using quantum mechanics, including Earth’s orbit, as a wave function (click here for an example). But that doesn’t add value or clarity to our understanding of how the sun rises and sets. Nor does it add value or clarity to our understanding of quantum mechanics, even through the Schrödinger equation.
Equation for Earth’s orbit as a wave function; the wave function Ψ(t) is not probabilistic in this case but geometrically encodes Earth’s orbital path.Earth’s orbit as a complex wave function
Science progresses by constructing models that predict observations, even when mechanisms are unclear. The Schrödinger equation and its probabilities are “tools” validated by experiment. They are NOT models or metaphors.
The search for quantum mechanisms continues.
How phenomena are modeled (epistemology) and what the phenomena fundamentally are (ontology) are two different things. The goal of science is to describe phenomena and to make predictions based on the description.
The goal of science is to describe phenomena and to make predictions based on the description. For this reason, I will continue to describe quantum tunneling (and even entanglement) as a property of 0/1D space.”
Erich Habich-Traut
For this reason, I will continue to describe quantum tunneling (and even entanglement) as a property of 0/1D space (zero-dimensional and one-dimensional space). My metaphor can explain a lot of Psi phenomena (telepathy, remote viewing, clairvoyance, superluminality, teleportation, spooky-action-at-a-distance). Surely, these can also be explained in terms of probabilities. However, I have a model, a working metaphor.
Image: This is not an atom (Atomium, Brussels)
Such likeness allows me to say complex things in a fairly simple manner.
The Schrödinger equation could also lead to new perspectives, perhaps we are looking for a new Copernicus.
Don’t panic: Statement of the ET Contact Project regarding METI
Text revised and updated: 29 March 2025. METI = Messaging ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence.
Don’t Be Afraid of Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence | Douglas Vakoch
Dr. Vakoch is President of Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence (METI).
“As astronomers launch ambitious projects for Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence, alarmists worry that transmitting intentional radio and laser signals into space may provoke an alien invasion. These critics overlook one fundamental fact: it’s too late to hide.”
Dr. Vakoch, Feb 3, 2020
Dr. Vakoch is currently not associated with the ‘Contact Project.’ His statement was directed at the fact that humanity has been announcing its presence via radio signals to our cosmic neighborhood for the last 100 years. He did not mean to imply that alien presences are already here.
The Contact Project would like to draw attention to these calculations:
1962: Nuclear Radio Blast from Earth to the Stars: 10 billion times more powerful than the message from Arecibo for ET!
Did anyone hear us? In 1974, the strongest intentional radio signal ever was sent into space by humans. Its strength was an impressive 20 trillion watts, enough electricity to power 1.4 million homes for a year. 12 years earlier, a considerably stronger radio signal was sent from Earth.
The mission of ‘The Contact Project’ is to investigate UAPs/UFOs on every conceivable frequency, using real-time tracking, radio receivers and transmitters, HD video, HD images, optical and radio telescopes, and passive & active radar so that the question of the nature and origin of UAPs can be answered without doubts.
What does the Contact Project want to do?
We want to do METI (messaging ETi) with a target that’s already here, UAPs. We don’t have to worry about attracting the attention of “hostile” aliens by messaging them, as they already know of us, if that’s what UAPs/UFOs are.
As things go, this possibility wasn’t seriously considered by the METI organization in 2015, because the subject of UAPs was still considered too crackpot then.
So, the statement issued by the METI organization regarding messaging extraterrestrial intelligence only covers targets outside of Earth’s atmosphere (statement here).
Since then, this outlook has changed somewhat with the release of a preliminary assessment of the American Director of National Intelligence on UAPs (assessment here).
The METI statement called for a worldwide scientific, political, and humanitarian discussion about the implications of messaging ET before anything should be initiated. Arguably, since UAPs first made headlines in 1947, there’s been a worldwide discussion about “them” for over 75 years.
A lot of that time, much of humanity reacted like an ostrich, sticking its head in the sand when hearing UFO reports. Or like three monkeys. Which comparison do we prefer?
Three Wisdom Monkeys in Space
Did it never occur to anyone that these phenomena may be more than swamp gas or the result of delusions? Sadly, as a result of the swamp gas hypothesis, the METI statement covers only METI targets outside of Earth.
METI might wish to reconsider their statement. Because currently there seems to be no position on contacting UAPs, to the best of my knowledge.
METI says: ETI’s reaction to a message from Earth cannot presently be known.
If extraterrestrial civilizations have a presence on Earth in the form of UAPs/UFOs or drone-like von Neumann probes, they will certainly be able to monitor our news and events. There was no obvious reaction from UAPs/UFOs to the Voyager space probes or the Golden Records on them. And there was no obvious reaction to the Arecibo message.
Crop formations, who makes these?
METI says: We know nothing of ETI’s intentions and capabilities, and it is impossible to predict whether ETI will be benign or hostile.
Experience shows that when UAPs are pursued by military jet fighters, they don’t react hostile. Civilian planes are not attacked either. It’s reasonable to assume that the intelligence behind UAPs is mostly benign.
“The threat to humanity from each other is magnitudes greater than from ETi. That hasn’t and shouldn’t stop us from talking to each other, and that includes ETi.”
The Contact Project
GALACTIC FEDERATION?
All sorts of explanations about UFOs and their prospective occupants have been given, from the no-contact rule of a Galactic Federation to higher dimensional frequencies that mortals can join only after exhaustive preparation.
Former Israeli space security chief says aliens exist, humanity not ready
This “Galactic Federation” has supposedly been in contact with Israel and the US for years, but are keeping themselves a secret to prevent hysteria until humanity is ready.
Healthy skepticism is, of course, in order, as most sightings have a prosaic explanation, ranging from misidentifications to pranks and hoaxes. But they don’t account for every sighting.
To admit in 2021 that some UAP cannot be explained was a major step forward by the US government.
The Contact Project wants to find out if there is just one UAP that will respond to radio or other contacting efforts. And that is easy.
And to prepare for the possibility of a positive response from an UAP? Not so easy.
LCARS animation by Major Howard ‘Adge’ Cutler, http://lcars.org.uk
In the Star Trek universe, subspace is the imaginary realm that allows starships to break the light-speed barrier, enabling faster-than-light travel and instant communication. It invites speculation about how real-world physics deals with dimensions, quantum phenomena, and the very fabric of reality.
1D Reality in a 4D Universe
The idea of a one-dimensional reality existing within our four-dimensional universe fascinates physicists. While hypothetical, scenarios like cosmic strings and branes in string theory are considered, albeit facing significant physical and practical challenges.
Mathematical Possibilities of 1D Structures
Mathematically, embedding lower-dimensional structures within higher-dimensional spaces is feasible. Examples include cosmic strings and 1D branes, which interact with the full spacetime continuum rather than existing independently.
Challenges of Sustaining a 1D Reality
Creating a viable 1D reality encounters issues like limited gravitational complexity and topological constraints. Inherently connected to higher dimensions, a standalone 1D universe is difficult to envisage.
Photons: Bridging Classical and Quantum Realms
Photons defy simple classification, existing as both classical points in spacetime and quantum field excitations. Their duality illustrates the complex boundary between classical physics and quantum mechanics.
Tunneling: Quantum Leap Beyond Dimensions
According to academic consensus, photon quantum tunneling represents probabilistic path exploration, not dimensional shifts. This quantum mechanic aspect shows particles interacting through the quantum vacuum, highlighting a non-local nature.
Contrarian: How? All quantum physicists are saying is that there are probability equations that can predict very well the behavior of photons.
Quantum Vacuum and Higher Dimensions
Consensus: The quantum vacuum is typically seen as a four-dimensional entity, though speculative theories propose higher dimensions to link quantum mechanics with gravity, yet these ideas remain unconfirmed.
Contrarian: Now, let’s be clear: the unconfirmed ideas are both the “typically seen four-dimensional entity” as well as higher or lower dimensions.
“Fallback Dimensions”
Consensus: Phenomena such as entanglement and tunneling result from quantum field mechanics rather than hidden dimensions. Photons behave according to quantum field theory’s probabilistic nature, challenging classical constraints.
Contrarian: There is zero proof that “hidden dimensions” are not involved. If these “hidden dimensions” only serve as a metaphor to understand what goes on in entanglement and tunneling experiments, so be it.
Science is not primarily focused on comprehending the underlying mechanics of the universe; rather, its goal is to make predictions based on observations and to leverage these predictions.
Now, wouldn’t it be nice if one could devise an experiment to show that hidden dimensions are at play in quantum tunneling and entanglement experiments?
Imagination Meets Physics
Star Trek’s subspace is hypothetical; it mirrors our longing to transcend spatial limits. The true complexity of the universe lies in quantum fields, says the consensus, proving physics to be as inspiring as a doorknob.
Consider the following intriguing questions: What happens to the very dimensions of spacetime inside a black hole? Different responses from an AI highlight both our current understanding—and our limitations.
First Perspective: Continuity of Four-Dimensional Spacetime
One reply asserts that objects falling into a black hole do not lose any dimensions. In this view, spacetime retains its four-dimensional structure (three dimensions of space plus one of time) both outside and inside the event horizon. The singularity—where density becomes infinite—is not actually a state reduced to 1D. Instead, it represents a point where general relativity breaks down after entering a black hole. Although quantum gravity theories such as loop quantum gravity propose alternatives (for instance, “bounces” that avoid the singular state), none of these ideas involve a reduction in the number of dimensions.
Second Perspective: Dimensional Breakdown at the Singularity
A subsequent response from the same AI emphasizes a different perspective. In Einstein’s theory, the singularity is defined as a point of infinite density and extreme spacetime curvature. It is where the equations of general relativity “break down.” In this classical picture, spacetime loses its well-defined four-dimensional structure (3 spatial dimensions plus 1 time dimension). For non-rotating, or Schwarzschild, black holes, the singularity is described as a 0D point. In contrast, for rotating (Kerr) black holes, the singularity takes on the form of a 1D ring.
Reconciling the Contradiction: Artifacts of Mathematical Models
The AI explains these seemingly contradictory responses with a reminder that, in general relativity, the singularity is not a physical object. Instead, it is a mathematical artifact. The labels “0D” and “1D” serve as geometric shorthand—conceptual placeholders that indicate where our classical theories fail. In effect, these designations (“here be dragons”) acknowledge the limits of our current understanding of extreme gravitational environments, especially those involving black holes.
Embracing the Unknown in Theoretical Physics
In summary, one perspective maintains that spacetime remains four-dimensional throughout the journey into a black hole. This is true even as general relativity breaks down at the singularity. Another viewpoint suggests that, near the singularity, the familiar four-dimensional framework is lost. It collapses into a 0D point or a 1D ring depending on the black hole’s rotation. Ultimately, both answers are reminders of the limits of our current theories and the continuing challenge of unifying general relativity with quantum mechanics.
Stephen Hawking’s Insight: Illuminating Our Limitations
An illustrative image from Stephen Hawking’s Reith Lecture on 26 January 2016 further underscores this point. Hawking’s insights remind us that while our current models of black holes capture many aspects of reality, they also expose profound gaps in our knowledge.
Until a successful theory of quantum gravity is developed, these descriptions remain approximations. They reflect human ignorance as much as our understanding.
In the Key of the Cosmos: A Signal Sung from the Stars “The Wow! signal melody” is available on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, and many others…
The Wow! signal melody, based on the sequence 6EQUJ5, 1977. Click to play or stop.
Consider, if you will, a sequence of symbols—6EQUJ5—etched into the annals of astronomy, a cryptic whisper from the depths of space. Once, it was a burst of radio waves, the Wow! signal, a fleeting enigma that haunted our telescopes. Now, in February 2025, it has become a melody. A human act of alchemy, transmuting mathematics into music, static into song.
Here, in this humble arrangement, the numbers and letters unfurl as notes: a progression both melancholic and yearning. The sixth scale degree hums with cosmic longing; the flattened seventh bends like spacetime itself. A raised fourth pierces the silence, a dissonant cry from the void, while the fifth—an anchor—grounds us in the familiar. Together, they form a lullaby for the universe, a sequence as old as hydrogen yet as new as dawn.
Is this what it sounds like when the cosmos composes? Or is it merely our own reflection, a mirror held up to the dark? We cannot know. Yet in these six notes, stretched across octaves and human imagination, we hear the ache of isolation—and the fragile hope of connection.
Perhaps, as in Close Encounters, we have always spoken to the unknown in the language of music. A minor seventh resolves; a chord trembles. The same mathematics that binds atoms may yet bind civilizations.
For now, the melody lingers: a question mark set to rhythm, a cipher unsolved. A reminder that in the grand fugue of the universe, even static may hold symphonies. We need only listen—and dare to reply.
I found myself pondering how the letters and numbers from the Wow! signal notation 6EQUJ5 might translate into a melody. Initially, the idea of creating a song from these characters seemed quite improbable. You can now listen to the track by clicking on the cover art. It’s my first single! We haven’t expanded these six notes yet.
Erich Habich-Traut
Based on the standard diatonic scale and common chord progressions, here’s a breakdown of the likely tonal values:
Individual notes:
* 6: This is typically the sixth scale degree of the major or minor scale, creating a major or minor sixth interval from the root. It often adds a sense of yearning or longing.
* e: This is the third scale degree, creating a major or minor third interval. It’s a consonant and stable note, often used in melodies and harmonies.
* q: This likely refers to the flat seventh scale degree (b7), creating a minor seventh interval. It adds a bluesy or jazzy flavor and can create a sense of resolution when moving to the root.
* u: This might refer to the raised fourth scale degree (#4), creating an augmented fourth interval. It’s a dissonant and unstable note, often used to create tension and drama.
* j: This likely refers to the flat sixth scale degree (b6), creating a diminished fifth interval. It’s also dissonant and can add a bluesy or jazzy feel.
* 5: This is the fifth scale degree, creating a perfect fifth interval. It’s a consonant and stable note, often used in melodies and harmonies.
Here’s a possible melody in C major, using the provided notes (6, e, q, u, j, 5) with a melancholic feel and simple piano rhythm.
Melody:
C (5) – E (e) – G (5) – A (6) – G (5) – E (e) – D (q) – C (5)
C (5) – E (e) – G (5) – A (6) – G (5) – E (e) – D (q) – C (5)
Rhythm: Each note is played with a quarter note duration (a steady beat).
Piano Playing Style: Play with a gentle touch and sustain the notes slightly for a more expressive sound. Experiment with dynamics (louder and softer notes) to create a sense of ebb and flow.
Key Considerations: Melancholic Feel: The descending line from A to G and the use of the minor seventh (D) contribute to the melancholic mood.
Simplicity: The repetition of the melodic phrase and the consistent quarter note rhythm create a sense of simplicity and introspection.
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