The Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 space crafts are nearing interstellar space and
can enter the realm between the stars any time now. They are around 15
billion kms from earth now. Both of them carry a gold LP record
(gramophone record). The record contains sounds from the planet earth.
Sounds of the earth, greetings in a host of languages and popular songs
from around the world. This was added to the payload of the spacecrafts
just in case intelligent life in the universe stumbles upon our space
craft. From these gramophone records they will come to know about
it's origins and get an small piece of the culture of the human race. Carl
Sagan who was instrumental in this effort had to meet quite a few of bosses
of the music industry to get copyright releases signed so that the music
which they `owned` could be put on that greatest adventure mankind has ever
taken up.
On a lighter note, I was reminded about the way in which the book
`hitchhiker's guide to the universe` begins. A guy is protesting
the demolition of his house to make way for a highway to connect two
cities. The same afternoon his house is demolished, Earth gets a notice
that it's inhabitants should move as Earth was going to be demolished to
make way for an inter galactic highway!
Are copyrights valid outside earth? Anybody can enlighten?
Regards,
Arun
http://wondroussky.blogspot.in/
"?????? ????? ????, ???????? ??????" - ???????
Known is a drop, Unknown is an ocean