“Contact Attempt – Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Arecibo Message”

Humanity has long grappled with a profound inquiry: Are we solitary in the vastness of the universe, or does life exist elsewhere? In a convergence of art and science, the Herbert W. Franke Foundation announces an international open call for generative artists, titled “Contact Attempt – the 50th Anniversary of the Arecibo Message.” This prestigious competition invites participants to engage with a pivotal moment in human history: the 50th anniversary of the first significant scientific endeavor to communicate with extraterrestrial intelligence through radio transmission, which will be observed on November 16, 2024.

This historic transmission, known as the Arecibo Message, was dispatched into space to mark the enhancement of the world’s then-largest radio telescope, situated in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Comprising 1,679 bits, the message encodes a black-and-white image that digitally represents fundamental aspects of human knowledge, including our numerical system, chemical elements, DNA structure, the solar system, human figures, and the telescope’s location. Emitted at a rate of 10 bits per second on a carrier frequency of 2.38 gigahertz—corresponding to a radio wavelength of 12.6 centimeters, capable of traversing planetary atmospheres—the signal was directed toward the globular star cluster M13 in the Hercules constellation, approximately 25,000 light-years from Earth, home to over 300,000 stars within a compact region.

The question of whether Earth alone harbors life amid cosmic evolution captivates not only scientists but also the broader human imagination. The Arecibo Message of 1974 embodies humanity’s enduring aspiration to ascertain our solitude in the universe and, should we not be alone, to establish contact with intelligent extraterrestrial beings. This theme resonates deeply within science fiction, where it remains a cornerstone of narrative exploration.

The Arecibo Message stands as a singular milestone in the annals of astronomy and human endeavor. It is intricately tied to the literary and philosophical contributions of Herbert W. Franke, as well as to the science-historical research of his late wife, Susanne Paech, the founder of the Herbert W. Franke Foundation. Ms. Paech’s investigations into the interplay of science and science fiction during the 1970s further enrich this legacy. Through this global competition, the Foundation seeks to inspire artists to contemplate the Arecibo Message and the prospect of connecting with alien intelligences, expressed through innovative generative works.