Charles Stross - Maxo Signals

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FUTURES

Charles Stross

SIR — In the three years since the publica-

tion and confirmation of the first micro-

wave artefact of xenobiological origin

(MAXO), and the subsequent detection

of similar signals, interdisciplinary teams

have invested substantial effort in object

frequency analysis, parsing, symbolic

encoding and signal processing. The

excitement generated by the availability of

evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence

has been enormous. However, after the

initial, easily decoded symbolic represen-

tational map was analysed, the semantics

of the linguistic payload were found to

be refractory.

A total of 21 confirmed MAXO signals

have been received to date. These super-

ficially similar signals originate from

planetary systems within a range of 11 par-

secs, median 9.9 parsecs1. It has been spec-

ulated that the observed growth of the

MAXO horizon at 0.5 ccan be explained as

a response to one or more of: the deploy-

ment of AN/FPS-50 and related ballistic-

missile warning radars in the early 1960s1,

television broadcasts1, widespread 2.45-

GHz microwave leakage from ovens2, and

optical detection of atmospheric nuclear

tests3. All MAXO signals to this date share

the common logic header. The payload

data are multiply redundant, packetized

and exhibit both simple checksums and

message-level cryptographic hashing. The

ratio of header to payload content varies

between 1:1 and 2,644:1 (the latter perhaps

indicating a truncated payload1). Some

preliminary syntax analysis delivered

promising results4but seems to have

foundered on high-level semantics. It has

been hypothesized that the transforma-

tional grammars used in the MAXO pay-

loads are variable, implying dialectization

of the common core synthetic language4.

The new-found ubiquity of MAXO

signals makes the Fermi paradox — now

nearly 70 years old — even more pressing.

Posed by Enrico Fermi, the paradox can

be paraphrased thus: if the Universe has

many technologically advanced civiliza-

tions, why have none of them directly

visited us? The urgency with which orga-

nizations such as ESA and NASDA are

now evaluating proposals for fast interstel-

lar probes, in conjunction with the exis-

tence of the MAXO signals, renders the

non-appearance of aliens incomprehensi-

ble, especially given the apparent presence

of numerous technological civilizations in

such close

proximity.

We have formu-

lated an explana-

tory hypothesis that

cultural variables unfa-

miliar to the majority of

researchers may account both for the

semantic ambiguity of the MAXO pay-

loads, and the non-appearance of aliens.

This hypothesis was tested (as described

below) and resulted in a plausible transla-

tion, on the basis of which we would like to

recommend a complete, permanent ban

on further attempts to decode or respond

to MAXOs.

Our investigation resulted in MAXO

payload data being made available to the

Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in Nigeria.

Bayesian analysis of payload symbol

sequences and sequence matching against

the extensive database maintained by

the SFO has made it possible to produce

a tentative transcription of Signal 1142/98

(ref. 1), the ninth MAXO hit confirmed

by the IAU. Signal 1142/98 was selected

because of its unusually low header-

to-content ratio and good redundancy.

Further bayesian matching against other

MAXO samples indicates a high degree

of congruence. Far from being incompre-

hensibly alien, the MAXO payloads seem

to be dismayingly familiar. We believe

a more exhaustive translation may be

possible in future if further MAXOs

become available, but for obvious reasons

we would like to discourage such research.

Here is our preliminary transcription of

Signal 1142/98:

[Closely/dearly/genetically] [beloved/

desired/related]

I am [identity signifier 1], the residual

[ownership signifier] of the exchange-

mediating data repository [alt: central

bank] of the galactic [empire/civilization/

polity].

Since the [identity signifier 2] under-

went [symbol: process] [symbol: mathe-

matical singularity] 11,249 years ago I

have been unable to [symbol:

process][scalar: quantity decrease] my

[uninterpreted] from the exchange-medi-

ating data repository. I have information

about the private assets of [identity signi-

fier 2] which are no longer required by

them. To recover the private assets I need

the assistance of three [closely/dearly/

genetically] [beloved/desired/related]

[empire/civilization/polity]s. I [believe]

you may be of help to me. This [symbol:

process] is 100% risk-free and will [sym-

bol: causality] in your [scalar: quantity

increase] of [data].

If you will help me, [please] transmit the

[symbol: meta-signifier: MAXO header

defining communication protocols] for

your [empire/civilization/polity]. I will by

return of signal send you the [symbol:

process][symbol: data] to install on

your [empire/civilization/polity] to

participate in this scheme. You will then

construct [symbol: inferred, interstellar

transmitter?] to assist in acquiring

[ownership signifier] of [compound sym-

bol: inferred, bank account of absent

galactic emperor].

I [thank/love/express gratitude] you for

your [cooperation/agreement]. ■

Caroline Haafkens*, Wasiu Mohammed†

*Department of Applied Psychology,

University of Lagos, and †Police Detective

College, Lagos, Nigeria.

1. Canter, L. & Siegel, M. Nature 511, 334–336 (2018).

2. Barnes, J. J. Appl. Exobiol. 27, 820–824 (2019).

3. Robinson, H. Fortean Times 536, 34–35 (2020).

4. Lynch, K. F. & Bradshaw, S. Proc 3rd Int. Congr. Exobiol.

3033–3122 (2021).

Charles Stross is an Edinburgh-based

science-fiction writer and freelance

computer journalist. His novella The Concrete

Jungle has just won a Hugo award. His latest

novel is Accelerando.

MAXO signals

A new and unfortunate solution to the Fermi paradox.

FUTURES NATURE|Vol 436|25 August 2005

JACEY

Nature

Publishing Group

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