MESSAGES TO MARS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19257, 22 August 1924, Page 7

MESSAGES TO MARS

SIGNALS BY WIRELESS. A NOVEL EXPERIMENT. Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. BUENOS AIRES, August 20. (Received August 21, at 8.5 p.m.) United States scientists will listen in on Saturday for possible signals from the theoretical inhabitants of Mars. The Foreign Office publishes a communication from Washington saying that the astronomer Professor David Todd requests countries with high-powered wireless to order their stations to remain silent temporarily, in order that any Martian signals may be detected.—Reuter.

Scientists the world over are preparing for the greatest experiment of communicating by radio with Mars. The attempt is to be made on Friday-Saturday, when the planet will be 34,600,000 miles from the earth, or nearer than at any other period during the past hundred years. Every observatory in the world intends to make a special observation of Mars, and the scheme of wireless communication is attracting much attention in Europe and m the United States. According to a statement made to a scientific gathering in Philadelphia, the European experiment will be the chief one. Apparatus of large power is to be erected on the summit of the Jugenfrau in Switzerland, and signals on a wave-length of 15,000 metres are to be transmitted at carefully gauged intervals. Several American scientists who believe that Mars is inhabited declare that tho earth may receive return signals.