RuBisCo Stars
RuBisCo Stars is an interstellar radio message sent from the Arecibo radio telescope on November 7, 2009. The message contained the DNA sequence for the RuBisCO protein used by terrestrial plants to perform photosynthesis. It was sent to three nearby stars (GJ 83.1 (flare star), Teegarden’s star, and Kappa1 Ceti). In a letter of support sent to Arecibo, Dr. Peter Weigele (staff scientist at New England Biolabs) wrote, “RuBisCo is not only the most abundant protein on earth, it is THE molecule, in all its many forms, that uses the energy supplied by photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide into food. The choice of this molecule for broadcast communicates the central importance of our sun in sustaining life as well as an implicit understanding of the role of CO2 in our biogeochemical systems. This is a message that is both timely and timeless – for the Universe and here on Earth!”
The main defect of this Message consist in absence of cogent arguments in proof of comprehensibility at the receiving side such complicated information as chemical formula of RuBisCo protein. Besides, GJ 83.1 is a flare star. Teegarden’s star very dim M dwarf, poorly studied. Kappa Ceti apparently affected by “superflares”. This was the second interstellar message initiated by Joe Davis.
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