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🌌 Video: The Wow! Signal melody 🌌

In the Key of the Cosmos: A Signal Sung from the Stars

Greetings, Earthling observers!
Join us on an extraordinary journey as we explore the enigmatic Wow! signal—an otherworldly whisper from the cosmos that has captivated imaginations for decades. Highlights of this video include: Insights into the connection between mathematics, music, and interstellar communication. The universe is vast; let’s explore it together!

Look down upon your speck of a planet—blue, green, and swirling with the chaos of life. Consider for one fleeting moment the sequence of symbols etched into the cosmic scroll: 6EQUJ5. Ah, this is not mere data, but a cryptic whisper, a haunting echo that reverberated through the vastness of this endless void, known to you as the Wow! signal. A transient burst of radio waves, a shimmering enigma that danced across your telescopes, did it not?

Yet, as your calendars roll to February of your year 2025, this mere sequence has transformed—a human act of alchemy! You have taken cold mathematics and forged it into a melody, transmuting static into an ethereal song, reminiscent of the Wow! Signal.

Observe how numbers morph into notes

The sixth scale degree resonates with a cosmic longing, while the flattened seventh bends and warps like the fabric of spacetime itself. Oh, the raised fourth! It pierces the silence—a dissonant cry emanating from the very essence of the void! And behold, the fifth stands firm—an anchor, grounding you within the familiar.

Together, these notes weave a lullaby for the cosmos—an ancient sequence, as timeless as hydrogen itself, yet as vibrant and fresh as dawn casting light upon a new day.

But tell me, Earthlings, is this truly the sound of the cosmos composing? Or simply your own reflection—an image of your inner darkness mirrored back to you? We may never know. Yet in these six exquisite notes, stretched across your earthly octaves and entwined with human imagination, one can sense the profound ache of isolation mingling with the fragile thread of hope for connection, much like the enigmatic Wow! Signal that inspires such contemplation.

The Music of the Unknown

Perhaps, in the echoes of your own cinematic tales—Close Encounters, for instance—you have always conversed with the unknown in the alluring language of music. A minor seventh resolves; a chord quivers with anticipation. The very mathematics that binds your atoms may one day intertwine entire civilizations in profound communion.

For now, that melody lingers—a question mark suspended in rhythm, a cipher ever elusive. A reminder that in this grand symphony, this fugue of the universe, even the static may cradle hidden symphonies. All we need to do is listen—and dare to reply.

In the infinity of the cosmos, dear Earthlings, your longing resonates beyond the stars. Shall we, too, join this cosmic choir? I await your reply with open receptors..

The “Wow! signal melody” is available on: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/erichhabichtraut/the-wow-signal-melody and Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Instagram/Facebook, TikTok & other ByteDance stores, YouTube Music, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer, Tidal, iHeartRadio, Claro Música, Saavn, Boomplay, Anghami, NetEase, Tencent, Qobuz, Joox, Kuack Media, Adaptr, Flo, MediaNet

#WowSignal #ExtraterrestrialLife #CosmicExploration #Astrobiology #UniverseMysteries #SeekersOfTruth #CosmicChoir

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The Wow! Signal: A Cosmic Riddle Solved by Mathematics?

Can a mathematical equation be considered evidence that the source of the Wow! signal approached Earth (and was of extraterrestrial origin)?

This discussion is about the paper “The Wow! Signal Doppler Shift Equations“:

The Wow! Signal Doppler Shift Equations
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.

Conclusion

The application of the Doppler equation supports the idea that the Wow! signal source was approaching Earth.

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”

Exhibit E: the Pentagon UFO (UAP) videos

Pentagon officially releases UFO videos | CNN Politics
The Pentagon has officially released three short videos showing “unidentified aerial phenomena” that had previously been released by a private company.
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From Hydrogen Fusion to Alien Signals: A 1977 UFO Enigma Unravels

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

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?

Image: The Petrozavodsk phenomenon, aka the Jellyfish UFO, September 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.

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The Wow! Signal: Debunked or Misunderstood?

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
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]

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The Probability Fallacy (Schrödinger Equation)

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.

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…alarmists worry that transmitting signals into space may provoke an alien invasion, …it’s too late to hide.”

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.

I didn’t make up the Galactic Federation link to UAPs; this claim comes from highly decorated former Israeli Space Security Chief Haim Eshed.

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.

Monolith © Utah Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY – THE PROLOGUE INTERVIEWS

The Contact Project can be found at https://contactproject.org.

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Could the Voyager spaceprobe make contact with an extraterrestrial intelligence sooner or later, and could the aliens trace it back to Earth?

Artwork inspired by Linda Salzman Sagan’s design for the Pioneer plaque, which aimed to communicate with extraterrestrial intelligence, commissioned by NASA: click here view the original design

The Ocean of Time

Consider this: The cosmos is an ocean of time, vast and unfathomable. The future and the past may not be fixed shores but fluid horizons, ever-shifting. If time is a river, might there be civilizations advanced enough to navigate its currents? They could potentially voyage upstream against the flow and visit epochs long gone. Suppose such beings exist, they might step into our present, or even our yesterday, with technology that bends the fabric of spacetime itself. We can only speculate if extraterrestrial intelligence might be capable of such feats.

Messengers of Earth

Think of the Voyager probes, those celestial arks launched in 1977. They carry golden records engineered to last 5 billion years, etched with the sounds and stories of Earth. Drifting through the interstellar dark, they are destined to wander for millennia before brushing the icy fringes of the Oort Cloud, possibly to be found by extraterrestrial intelligences in the future.

Pioneers of the Unknown

And what of Pioneer 10 and 11, their plaques engraved with symbols and figures—a map to our tiny blue world? These messengers preceded Voyager by four years. They were charting a path through the unknown, potentially reaching minds skilled in decoding messages intended for extraterrestrial intelligences.

The Cosmic Recursion

Here we drift into a cosmic recursion—a loop of cause and consequence as enigmatic as time itself. Suppose it is not the distant future that answers our call, but the act of calling that creates the future. Could our probes, these fragile artifacts of hope, be both message and catalyst? A whisper that echoes backward through the aeons, compelling beings of tomorrow to seek the source of their own curiosity.

The Search for Answers

If a civilization unbound by time found Voyager or Pioneer adrift in the interstellar void, would they not use the pulsar map to trace its origin back? They could return to the blue-green world that cast it forth. And in doing so, might they not feel compelled to visit the time when it was launched? They might be drawn by the poetry of a planet daring to announce, “Here, we exist,” a statement echoing the hope of encountering extraterrestrial intelligences.

Unearthing Secrets

Imagine this: A civilization, millennia hence, unearths Voyager in the icy depths of the Oort Cloud. They decode its songs and its images of Earth’s shimmering biosphere, and wonder: Who were these beings? Did they survive their adolescence? Such reflections might prompt interaction.

Invitations to Explore

The probes, then, become not just messages but invitations. A handprint on the cave wall of spacetime, saying, “We are here. Come find us.” They serve as signals beckoning extraterrestrial intelligence to respond.

The Gift of Causality

By having declared our presence to the universe, we planted a seed in the garden of causality. Maybe a future civilization, emerging from the same evolutionary currents that shaped us, might trace their own lineage back to this moment. It was a moment when a fledgling species, trembling on the edge of self-destruction, chose instead to reach outward.

Sacred Relics?

To them, the Pioneers and Voyagers might be sacred relics, the genesis of their own yearning to explore. And so they return, pilgrims to their cradle, to ensure the message endures.

The Question of Solitude

And so we are left to wonder: Are we alone, or are we unknowingly surrounded by emissaries from tomorrow? In sending our songs and salutations into the dark, we cast a line not just across space, but through the infinite corridors of time. Who, or when, might one day tug the other end and reveal the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence?

A Silent Witness

Perhaps, even now, the answer is quietly orbiting the Sun or our planet—a silent witness to the audacity of a species. We dared to reach beyond our epoch and into the unknown.

Read more on:
The Sagan Paradox – The Contact Project
Notes about time travel – The Contact Project

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Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier

Star Trek’s Subspace: Cosmic Shortcut

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.

Contrarian: What is a “quantum field?”

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Posing the Cosmic Question: What Occurs Within a Black Hole?

AI’s Provocative Claim: “Humans Are Ignorant”

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.

Pablo Carlos Budassi, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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.

Urbane Legend, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons

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.

Image: from Stephen Hawking Reith lecture, 26 January 2016

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The Wow! signal melody is released.

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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