try decoding

We've been searching for signals from remote alien civilisations for a long time. I started giving spare computer time to the SETI project back in May 2004.

There was the WOW signal but we've never been able to prove anything from that.

We continue to scan. And maybe, one day, we'll detect something.

Space is big.

But then, what happens. Let's say we receive an alien message. The next task will be to translate it. This could be very challenging and also take a very long time. We might never crack it.

I enjoyed the learning-to-communicate part of the movie Arrival.

Just flashed-back to when I taught myself code-breaking back in 1973...

In the meantime, there's an interesting experiment happening.

You can have a go a decoding a message. 

The European Space Agency and the SETI group are simulating an incoming message. 

See the Gizmodo article for more info.