Remembering "Sounds of Earth" - Will They Answer

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Scientists and philosophers have long wondered: Is there life on other planets? In other solar systems? And if there is, as many believe, what might extraterrestrial beings think of…us?

It was on this date in 1977, that the American space agency sent a phonograph record about life on Earth into space. It was carried aloft in an unmanned spacecraft called Voyager II. Space agency officials hoped that these “Sounds of Earth” might possibly find their way to life on other planets.

Scientist Carl Sagan and his team decided what to include on the record. Many experts praised “Sounds of Earth” and the idea of attempting to communicate with other life forms. The record was made on a disc of gold-plated copper. It measured about 30 centimeters across. It came with a phono cartridge and stylus, or needle, and pictures showing how to play it.

It contained information about human beings and science, and provided sounds like thunder, wind and rain, and calls of earthly creatures like birds and dogs.

There were spoken greetings in 55 languages. World leaders including Jimmy Carter, then president of the United States, sent messages.

And there was music of many kinds, including both Eastern and Western classical music…and Chuck berry singing about an earthling named Johnny B Goode.

Another copy of “Sounds of Earth” was placed on Voyager I. That unmanned spacecraft was launched two weeks after Voyager II. Both spacecraft explored the outer solar system and sent back to Earth information and pictures of faraway planets.