Extraterrestrials got a friendly invitation to visit Lexington, Kentucky, the Bluegrass State, with FAA approval. In about 40 years, they might see the first interstellar travel ad for a specific city on Earth.
The humorous ad was sent by infrared laser to a star called TRAPPIST-1, where several rocky planets orbit in a habitable zone with potential for liquid water. Scientists interested in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) and scholars helped send the message, inspired by the famous 1974 Arecibo message sent from Puerto Rico.
Although the beamed travel ad went into the universe on October 24, 2023, a news release announced it in January 2024, hoping to attract visitors from Earth. Average Americans’ interest in extraterrestrials remains high, and other companies are similarly marketing with an ET theme.
“This is the first time that we, as a species, have ever sent out a travel ad inviting aliens to come visit,” said linguistics expert Dr. Brenna Byrd in a video about the ad (see below).
The message came from the Kentucky Horse Park. That explains the logo worn by the VisitLEX team, a horse with lasers beaming from the eyes. They also wear flight suits that look a lot like NASA suits but with a hilarious equestrian/ET theme.
The First Interstellar Travel Ad?
Yes, this interstellar travel ad is a bit of a moonshot but amusing for Earthlings nonetheless.
Consider the following:
- ETs may not exist near TRAPPIST-1.
- It will take 40 years for the message to reach the star system.
- ETs would have to have technology to decipher the message.
- Such beings would have to be looking at just the right time.
- Who says they’d want to visit Lexington, Kentucky or Earth, for that matter?
Even in the off-chance that intelligent life received the binary code message, it’s up in the air how residents of Kentucky or the United States would respond to ET visitors. But hey, it’s going to take 40 years to reach the potential audience. By then, who knows how our knowledge of the universe will have changed. Not to mention, it could take another 40 years to get a reply.
And, if we got a reply, would it be called a hoax, or would people be able to verify its validity? For example, in 2001, a crop circle in the UK, the Chilbolton Code formation, was a message, as if a detailed reply to the Arecibo message, but it was largely ignored as the work of silly humans. SETI said it was “highly improbable” that it was a genuine reply.
Video by the HISTORY channel about crop circles:
Would Kentucky Be Welcoming to ETs?
The friendly message presupposes citizens of Kentucky would be friendly to ETs, and that ETs would be benevolent. Would Kentucky bring a welcome wagon, or would things get less than neighborly? Can anyone imagine the scenario of country bluegrass musicians playing for extraterrestrials at a Kentucky landing site?
However, Byrd humorously suggests the message’s positive tone might serve us all well – in more ways than one.
“Of all the things that we’ve been beaming into space, why not a positive, friendly message?” said Dr. Byrd. “I think saying, ‘Hey! We’re nice and friendly people and we have horses and bourbon and dopamine. Don’t eat us.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Kishonna Gray says the ad is a chance to show off the best of Lexington’s community to the galaxy.
“Here’s the chance to really demonstrate that we are a beautiful culture, a beautiful community and that we want to share that with the galaxy, that we’re the best place on Earth,” said digital expert Dr. Kishonna Gray.
What Did the Travel Ad Say?
Looking at the interstellar travel ad, it’s pretty funny, imitating the structure of the Arecibo message. After some lines of prime numbers and the four elements of life, they included the chemical structure of the ingredients of bourbon, water, and ethanol. Then they put a molecule of dopamine, “because Lexington is fun,” or dope?
Next, we see a human’s image in between two horses over the Bluegrass State’s rolling hill landscape. The infrared message also encodes black-and-white photos of Lexington and music by Tee Dee Young, a blues musician.
Video by WLKY News Louisville:
Is Earth a Flyover Planet or Worth a Visit?
Would the innocence and humor of this travel ad win approval from potential extraterrestrial travelers? Or would they still consider the state, if not the entire planet, as flyover territory?
Well, one of the people who consulted with the marketing team hopes for a good impression, at the very least with with human visitors.
“A lot of people think Kentucky is a flyover state, and it’s nice to give them the impression that maybe we’re not,” said Robert Lodder, a professor of chemistry at the University of Kentucky, told the Washington Post. ‘… And that Earth is not a flyover planet.'”
You can see more on Visit Lex’s Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Video about the interstellar travel ad by Visit LEX:
