Writing prime numbers in dots is one idea; drawing a rough diagram of the solar system is another. Or if the primary goal is to prove that humans are sentient, civilized and therefore “people”, I’d just show them my various gadgets: cell phone, iPod, Kindle, calculator, etc.
Pre-scientific societies have managed to build quite complex machinery. For instance the Antikythera mechanism, Roman textile mills, Egyptian irrigation systems, etc. Is it possible aliens could develop something as complex as a calculator without first attaining scientific literacy? If so electronics wouldn’t necessarily prove scientific literacy to them.
Good luck figuring out how to make microchips without at least some scientific knowledge. Even if it could be done, the probability does not seem very high to me.
Writing prime numbers in dots is one idea; drawing a rough diagram of the solar system is another. Or if the primary goal is to prove that humans are sentient, civilized and therefore “people”, I’d just show them my various gadgets: cell phone, iPod, Kindle, calculator, etc.
Pre-scientific societies have managed to build quite complex machinery. For instance the Antikythera mechanism, Roman textile mills, Egyptian irrigation systems, etc. Is it possible aliens could develop something as complex as a calculator without first attaining scientific literacy? If so electronics wouldn’t necessarily prove scientific literacy to them.
Good luck figuring out how to make microchips without at least some scientific knowledge. Even if it could be done, the probability does not seem very high to me.