In the vast emptiness of space, what if our first contact with extraterrestrial intelligence came not through mathematical formulas or binary code, but through the familiar beats of Earth’s pop culture? This thought experiment explores how an alien Advanced Superintelligence (ASI) might leverage our broadcast history to establish meaningful communication.
The First Hello: Simple and Hopeful
After years of monitoring our TV and radio signals, our hypothetical alien visitor makes its first move. Rather than complex mathematical sequences, it opts for something more universally human: music. The Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun” arrives at Earth’s radio telescopes—a simple, optimistic melody with minimal cultural references that could be misinterpreted.
The message is elegant in its simplicity: “I am approaching from the direction of your sun, and I come in peace.” No complex cultural baggage, just a gentle introduction.
NASA Responds
Under immense pressure, NASA scientists scramble to respond. After brief but intense deliberation, they transmit Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World”—a song that showcases Earth’s natural beauty and human appreciation for it, with straightforward descriptive language that’s hard to misinterpret.
Establishing Identity Through Frequency
As communication continues, our alien friend develops an ingenious method to differentiate between itself and humanity: bass represents the alien civilization, while treble represents Earth.
This distinction is established through a series of clever transmissions:
- The bass-heavy opening theme from Seinfeld, immediately followed by Madonna’s “Vogue” with its higher vocal ranges
- The deep, ominous bass from Jaws, contrasted with the high-pitched strings from Psycho’s shower scene
- Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” bass line, followed by clips of Mariah Carey’s highest notes
- The distinctive bass drop from Daft Punk’s “One More Time,” paired with the chipmunk-like voices from Alvin and the Chipmunks
No mathematical formulas or abstract concepts needed—just culturally familiar sounds with natural frequency separations that any human would recognize. When the ASI wants to reference itself or its civilization, it uses bass-dominant clips; when discussing humanity, it uses treble-dominant ones.
Beyond Single Songs
As communication develops, the ASI begins combining elements. It might send the five-note sequence from “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” followed by The Beatles’ “Across the Universe”—establishing both an original communication pattern and reflecting human culture back to us.
This combination effectively communicates: “I am here, I am intelligent, I understand your signals, and I come in peace.”
Why This Approach Might Work
Unlike traditional SETI approaches that focus on mathematical universals, this method leverages what makes us uniquely human: our cultural expressions. It acknowledges that communication isn’t just about information exchange but about establishing connection and context.
By using familiar cultural touchstones, the alien intelligence creates an emotional bridge—starting with hope (“Here Comes the Sun”), moving to mutual appreciation (“What a Wonderful World”), and ultimately establishing distinct identities through something as fundamental as sound frequencies.
This approach reminds us that first contact might not be about proving intelligence through prime numbers or hydrogen atom frequencies. Instead, it might be about demonstrating understanding of what makes us human: our music, stories, and creative expressions.
Perhaps, in the end, the universal language isn’t math after all—it’s culture.
