Last year, Earth received "alien message" from Mars

If we ever find ourselves in contact with extraterrestrial beings, chances are we wouldn't understand their language right off the bat. It could be a friendly "we come in peace," a menacing "we're here to conquer," or something entirely unexpected. Realistically, they probably wouldn't speak our languages.

We're delving into the realms of science fiction here. Shows like Doctor Who sometimes "cheat" by magically translating alien languages (except for those suspenseful moments when they don't), while the film Arrival explored the complexities of communicating with aliens whose language we can't comprehend.

When governments get wind of an alien encounter, they'll likely have expert translators on standby. But it's also probable that regular folks will take a crack at decoding the message.

If you're feeling up to the challenge, why not try your hand at deciphering an "alien message" we received? Although, in reality, this message isn't from actual aliens. It's part of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute's project called 'A Sign In Space.'

The mastermind behind this intergalactic piece of "global theatre" is Daniela de Paulis, the artist spearheading the project. She explains why this endeavor is so significant: "Throughout history, humanity has sought meaning in powerful and transformative events. Receiving a message from an extraterrestrial civilization would be an immensely transformative experience for all of humankind. 'A Sign in Space' offers an unprecedented chance to collectively practice and prepare for such an event through global collaboration, encouraging an open-ended search for meaning across all cultures and fields of study."

So, what's the deal with this transmission? Well, it's available for anyone to download and take a shot at decoding. That's the fun of it!

The message originated from the European Space Agency's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, currently orbiting the mysterious red planet. It was then intercepted by three radio astronomy observatories: the SETI Institute’s Allen Telescope Array in California, the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, and the Medicina Radio Astronomical Station Observatory in Italy.

As for what the message actually says, it's a bit of a mystery. The 'A Sign In Space' project intentionally wants everyone to have a go at cracking this out-of-this-world transmission.

Dr. Wael Farah, a Project Scientist with ATA, explains, “This experiment is a chance for the world to witness how the diverse SETI community collaborates to receive, process, analyze, and interpret the meaning of a potential extraterrestrial signal.”

You can download the message here. Now it's your turn to unravel its secrets. And who knows? If you manage to crack it, maybe there's a future career in intergalactic diplomacy waiting for you!