6 March 08
Doritos For Aliens
The UK astronomy and physics communities are undergoing a severe funding crisis, to the amount of a 80 million pound budget shortfall. So some astronomers have come up with a novel means to raise money — advertising to aliens. The first such ad targeted towards the alien market will be promoting Doritos and will be aimed at the star 47 Ursae Majoris which is some 42 light-years off and is known to have at least two planets. The message will be beamed using a 500 MHz radar system located in Svalbard which is normally used to study ionospheric disturbances and auroras. Bridge to the stars, anyone?
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I trust we are planning a franchising arrangement whereby the aliens can learn to create and market their own Doritos, with royalties to us. I somehow doubt a physical Dorito could make the trip in a form that would preserve its essence.