Say hello to the neighbours

[Ben]

Really, say hello:


Dear alien, can I add you to Facebook?

THE Federal Government will offer Australians the chance to send messages to distant intelligent beings from today.

Not Canberra's beings, but those that may inhabit a world 20 light years from Earth.

Discovered in 2007, Gliese 581 d was the first planet found circling in the ''Goldilocks'' or ''habitable zone'' around another star, where it is neither too hot, nor too cold for life.

The messages will be beamed to the planet from NASA's Tidbinbilla space tracking station, outside Canberra, to mark National Science Week, which starts on Saturday.

Announcing the rare public opportunity to greet alien life forms, the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Kim Carr, revealed he had crafted his cosmic communique: ''Hello from Australia on the planet we call Earth. These messages express our people's dreams for the future. We want to share these dreams with you.''

To post an interstellar message, earthlings must visit HelloFromEarth.net, which will operate from 10.30am today until August 24. Messages can contain up to 160 characters.
Continued: http://www.theage.com.au/technology/sci ... -eh0q.html

To say hello (or something else): http://www.hellofromearth.net/

Have fun!

Ben