Primary Factors Mystery Cache
vorticity: Sounds like this one could be in a dangerous spot. Archived. Vort.
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Difficulty:
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(regular)
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Not at the posted coordinates. Possible parking spot.
In early 1962 the astronomer Frank Drake, author of the famous Drake equation (an equation whose purpose is to allow scientists to quantify the uncertainty of the factors - the seventh being the primary - which determine the number of extraterrestrial civilizations), sent a 'message' to other members of the Order of the Dolphins club that was similar to the following:
0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1
The message ended with the note "A total of 551 1's and 0's. What does it tell us?" The message was proffered as an example of something that might be received from another civilization in space, and members of the Order of the Dolphins (which included Carl Sagan, later to author the book 'Contact') as well as Richard Feynman were challenged to decode it. Neither the scientists in the Order nor Feynman were successful. Feynman entertained the idea that it said something about the fine-structure constant or the quantum number of electrons in an iron atom. Good guesses, but wrong. Your challenge is to succeed where a Nobel laureate failed – what does the message tell us?
[Rumor has it there really was an actual message, apparently coming from around Galaxy 551. The first part of the message read: "We think we left a picnic item or two at the following coordinates. If you find it, let us know. Please, no collect calls."]
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)