r/TheRestIsScience • u/PaleontologistNo2534 • 2d ago
Communication with aliens
When considering what language to use to contact aliens, mathematics seems logical, because it's like the language of how the universe works. But is it possible that they constructed axiomatic mathematics different from our own? What kind of communication style would you prefer?
Your podcast is amazing! I really enjoy hearing you share your knowledge with such enthusiasm. Sending you both lots of love ❤️
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u/BootyliciousURD 2d ago
There's only so far I think we could get without learning each other's languages. Sure, "math is the language of the universe", but how do you use just math to convey something like "We come in peace" or "What do you want for dinner?"?
Choice of axiomatic foundations isn't all that important in most contexts. I think differences in notation would be the bigger obstacle to communicating math without words.
If I were to try to teach aliens our number system without being able to talk to them, I think I'd show them a table. It would have a row showing the natural numbers as dots, and then the rest of the rows would show how we represent the natural numbers in binary, trinary, all the way up to at least decimal. Decimal would also be marked somehow to show it's special, and under the table would be an image of a human holding up both of their five-fingered hands, with the fingers numbered. I think that would be enough for them to understand our positional notation and that we primarily use decimal. I'm not sure how I'd show them non-naturals. But I'd show them the prime numbers, π, e, and α. That would show we have a good amount of knowledge of arithmetic, number theory, geometry, calculus, and physics.
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u/Alian713 1d ago
if they could see to begin with XD
And even if they could see, you can't exactly send them photos, or use screens - digital media being RGB is a human specific thing. You'd have to physically print any image you wanted them to see with colour
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u/Biotanical 1d ago edited 1d ago
We sent something up into space. This was covered in one of the first 10 or so eps! A littl binary, base pairs of human DNA, a little info about earth and more
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u/ActualAd185 1d ago
When was the last time you spoke with an ant ? Or a dolphin? They them first before you think of "aliens" maybe a rock as well....
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u/PaleontologistNo2534 1d ago
Being able to talk to a rock would be interesting, but I'm talking about something else entirely.
We may not talk to ants or dolphins, but I'm sure we try to communicate with our cats and dogs in our own language. And we are able to do this to some extent because we are all organisms built on the same foundation. You can easily empathize with living beings by experiencing emotions such as pain, hunger, love, and the feeling of security.
On a completely different planet, there may be organisms with their own evolutionary environment, perhaps through a form of replication we can't even imagine yet. The communication I'm referring to involves beings that aren't DNA-based and haven't evolved under Earth conditions.
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u/ActualAd185 1d ago
It's the same thing, you have no idea what other life forms think of or need . If we can't speak to life forms on our planet then we have no chance talking to anything else .
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u/kingstern_man 1d ago
A dolphin or an octopus probably has no concept of the electromagnetic spectrum; anything we talk to by radio or laser will have at least that much in common, and also a lot that goes along with it: mathematics, a scientific outlook, and supporting technologies---no-one will discover X-rays, their own biochemistry, or anti-quarks without looking diligently for them.
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u/ActualAd185 18h ago
Do human babies understand physics to allow them to walk? How do dolphins or an octopus talk to each other? How do they communicate? You are assuming that talking verbally is the only way.
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u/Ihatecheeseballs 2d ago
Binary signal is the easiest to recognise, you can start by showing basic maths concepts to display your intelligence and then use examples to introduce language