Lexington, Kentucky, is known for its bluegrass fields, bourbon, and horse racing. But now, the city wants to add another attraction to its list: alien tourism. In an innovative and unconventional move, the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau, also known as VisitLEX, used an infrared laser to beam a message into space, inviting extraterrestrial travelers to visit the city and enjoy its culture and hospitality.
The message, which was sent on December 17, 2023, from the Kentucky Horse Park, was aimed at the TRAPPIST-1 solar system, which is located 40 light years away and has seven potentially habitable planets. The message was designed by a team of experts from various fields, such as engineering, linguistics, digital media, philosophy, and science fiction. The message included a coded bitmap image that represented the elements of life, the landscape of Lexington, and the molecular structures of water, bourbon, and dopamine.
The idea for the campaign was inspired by the recent revelations and discoveries about UFOs and extraterrestrial life, which have sparked public interest and curiosity. VisitLEX wanted to capitalize on this trend and position Lexington as a welcoming and fun destination for cosmic tourists.
The campaign also aimed to generate buzz and attention for the city among earthly travelers, who might be intrigued by the city’s bold and creative approach.
The city hopes to stand out from the crowd and appeal to a diverse audience
Mary Quinn Ramer, the president of VisitLEX, said in a statement that the campaign was a way to showcase the city’s unique and diverse offerings, as well as its sense of humor and adventure. She said that Lexington was the best place on Earth and that it was also the ideal location for extraterrestrial travelers to begin exploring the world.
“We believe Lexington is the best place on Earth,” Ramer said. “It’s the ideal location for extraterrestrial travelers to begin exploring our world. We have a rich history, a vibrant culture, and a beautiful landscape. We also have bourbon, which is the best drink in the galaxy. And we have a lot of fun here, which is why we included dopamine in our message.”
Ramer also said that the campaign was a way to stand out from the crowd and appeal to a diverse and adventurous audience, both in space and on Earth. She said that Lexington was not afraid to try new and unconventional things and that the city was always looking for ways to surprise and delight its visitors.
“We wanted to do something different and daring, something that no one else has done before,” Ramer said. “We wanted to show that Lexington is a city that thinks big and dreams bigger. We wanted to reach out to a new and untapped market, and also to create a buzz and a conversation among our existing and potential visitors. We wanted to show that Lexington is a city that welcomes everyone, no matter where they come from.”
The city faces some challenges and criticisms for its campaign
While the campaign has generated a lot of interest and publicity for Lexington, it has also faced some challenges and criticisms from various quarters. Some of the challenges include the technical and logistical difficulties of sending a message to space, the uncertainty and delay of receiving a response, and the ethical and legal implications of contacting alien civilizations.
Robert Lodder, a professor of chemistry at the University of Kentucky and the leader of the team that designed and transmitted the message, said that the message was sent with the approval of the Federal Aviation Administration and that it followed the guidelines and protocols of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute. He also said that the message was carefully crafted to avoid any misunderstanding or offense and that it was intended to be friendly and informative.
“We followed the best practices and standards of the SETI community, which has been studying and searching for extraterrestrial intelligence for decades,” Lodder said. “We used an infrared laser, which is less likely to interfere with other signals or cause any harm.
We also used a coded bitmap image, which is a universal and simple way to communicate. We included imagery that represented the basic elements of life, such as carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen, as well as some aspects of our culture and environment, such as bluegrass, horses, and bourbon. We did not include any sensitive or controversial information, such as politics, religion, or war.”
Some of the criticisms of the campaign include the skepticism and ridicule of some people, who question the validity and value of the campaign, the waste of resources and money, and the potential risks and dangers of attracting unwanted attention from hostile or malicious aliens.
Some of the critics of the campaign include David Morrison, a senior scientist at NASA and a leading authority on astrobiology and planetary defense. Morrison said that the campaign was a publicity stunt that had no scientific merit or purpose and that it could have negative consequences for humanity and the planet. He said that sending a message to space was a waste of time and energy and that it could expose Earth to a potential threat from an unknown and unpredictable alien civilization.
“This is a foolish and irresponsible act that has no benefit for science or society,” Morrison said. “There is no evidence that there is any intelligent life in the TRAPPIST-1 system, or anywhere else in the universe, for that matter.
Sending a message to space is like shouting in the dark, hoping that someone will hear you and respond. But what if they do? What if they are not friendly or benevolent? What if they are hostile or curious? What if they decide to invade or exploit us? We have no idea what we are dealing with, and we have no way to defend ourselves. We are putting ourselves and our planet at risk for no good reason.”
