Father and daughter decode mysterious signal from space: what does it mean?

A simulated alien message sent from Mars to Earth in 2023 was decoded in June by Ken Chaffin and his daughter, Keli Chaffin, after nearly a year of persistent efforts. Created as part of the SETI Institute’s ‘A Sign in Space’ project, the post shows five amino acid formations, although its meaning remains unclear. Daniela de Paulis, SETI’s artist-in-residence and a recognized radio operator, designed the project together with other international scientists and artists to investigate what an extraterrestrial signal might look like.

Signal reception and decoding process

In May 2023, the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter sent out a signal intended to simulate an alien message. This was recorded by three observatories on Earth: the Allen Telescope Array in California, the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia and the Medicina Radio Astronomical Station in Italy. The raw data, released online, allowed citizen scientists around the world to participate in decryption efforts through a community forum. To decode, the Chaffins had to run cellular automata algorithms on what looked like a “starmap” of white pixels, ultimately revealing clusters representing amino acids.

Interpreting the message

The Chaffins’ discovery The project team confirmed that it represents amino acids, essential molecules in life forms. However, no interpretation has been given as to why these specific configurations could have been chosen. De Paulis and her team argue that understanding the intent of the message is left to those investigating it, in part to recreate a realistic scenario in which an alien transmission is received unaccompanied.

Open interpretation and continuous exploration

This simulation invites global citizen scientists to theorize about the meaning of the message. Speculations range from life-forming compounds gathering in space to a simple alien greeting. De Paulis plans to document public interpretations in a forthcoming book, recognizing the difficulty in reaching a universal consensus on their meaning. Ken and Keli Chaffin, while unsure of the precise intent, have expressed excitement about their role in investigating this unique cosmic message.