Representing earth; what should we give aliens if they show up?

[lajoswinkler]

Send them a free copy of KSP.

[Wesreidau]

Give them atomic fire until they're in the Kuiper belt. Then we'll talk.

[Green Baron]

I remember the somewhat humurous writings of Stanislaw Lem on this :-)

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[justidutch]

If these aliens see in the exact same colour spectrum that we do, then I guess we could show them humanity's greatest works of art.

If they have auditory receptors that can handle the same frequencies as ours, let them listen to our music.

The same goes for all the other senses.

The chances of the aliens being able to experience our culture the same way we do are so incredibly remote that I doubt its even necessary to think about, though I do agree its a fun question.

As for the math and physics, if they are able to get here I would assume there is nothing we could tell them that they don't already know.

[micr0wave]

i'd send a chessboard.

[Alias72]

Earth, and as a whole humanity has a LOT of stuff. If aliens were to hypothetically arrive, and start a two-way communications link (exact details not important, just that it can send sufficient data for just about anything), we've made contact, and requested that we show them examples of human culture and Earth as a whole. What should be top priority to show them, whether that be books, music, films, or just about anything.

The Voyager Golden Record is a nice starting point, but keep in mind that they had limited space to work with, and they didn't know if the aliens were peaceful or not, let's assume these ones are, after all, they're communicating and not trying to harvest Earth for it's raw resources.

If you had to pick a select few things, such as books, pictures of landscapes, and music to show aliens examples of Earthling life and art both in the past and the present, what would you show them, and why?

Our official declaration of surrender

[fredinno]

Our official declaration of surrender

Not that they would probably recognize it...

[Camacha]

Our official declaration of surrender

Very useful. It is as if the local ant hill sends out a messenger with a gift of breadcrumbs to appease the human gods of death. Three guesses what happens next.

[ChrisSpace]

Hundreds of nuclear-armed missiles. If it happened today at least.

[Jovus]

Stock options.

No, really. Get them economically invested in not destroying what we have now.

[Camacha]

Stock options.

No, really. Get them economically invested in not destroying what we have now.

I hope they are smarter than thinking virtual commodities in a constructed economy are actually worth something. We might fool each other, but something tells me we will not fool them, since if they made it here and they must be pretty adept at maths.

Stock options are some of the strangest goods on the planet. They do not represent anything real, not even the buildings or commodities a company holds. A company's total stock value can be less than its properties and assets minus debt. How strange is that? If anything, we need to give them something real. Real things get broken or destroyed, though it will not prevent anyone from taking the rest too. Why take a slice of cake if you can have the whole thing minus annoying life forms?

[magnemoe]

I hope they are smarter than thinking virtual commodities in a constructed economy are actually worth something. We might fool each other, but something tells me we will not fool them, since if they made it here and they must be pretty adept at maths.

Stock options are some of the strangest goods on the planet. They do not represent anything real, not even the buildings or commodities a company holds. A company's total stock value can be less than its properties and assets minus debt. How strange is that? If anything, we need to give them something real. Real things get broken or destroyed, though it will not prevent anyone from taking the rest too. Why take a slice of cake if you can have the whole thing minus annoying life forms?

Stock value is 75% physiology as you say. Some has gotten rich buying under priced companies.

On the other hand you have far more overpriced bobbles who would not be nice to give away

[cicatrix]

Easy - if they're peaceful - we will eventually betray their trust and will surely try to get advantage over them. I would send them the Tax Code and all the lawyers I could get my hands upon.

[DeathFromBelow]

Assuming they can see and hear, I'd send them all the Beatles albums and the original Star Wars trilogy.

[Bill Phil]

Assuming they can see and hear, I'd send them all the Beatles albums and the original Star Wars trilogy.

Any of our media might actually result in them taking offense...

[StrandedonEarth]

Give them Kanye West. Please. Just take him....

[Guest]

give them kanye west. Please. Just take him....

yes!!!