Nailsea woman talks to extraterrestrials

A NAILSEA person is hoping to win a newspaper competition to send a message to outer space.

The Telegraph is asking its readers to pen a note to send to extraterrestrials.

Writer Robert Colvile reported that among the ‘phone home’ entries from Earthlings there were some alarming results.

But that Karen from Nailsea was thinking slightly bigger.

She said: “Beautiful, blue planet, teeming with life, located on the edge of the Milky Way. Fantastic views of the Andromeda Galaxy and beyond into infinity. Perhaps the best location in the Universe. One trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion ONO. Must be prepared to look after current resident flora and fauna.”

The competition to find the best messages to be sent hurtling into space coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) programme and the publication of The Eerie Silence: Are We Alone in the Universe?.

The new book is by the astrophysicist, Paul Davies.

The winning entries will be announced on Friday, which is the first day of National Science and Engineering Week, and then beamed out into the stars from BT’s Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall.

Another West Country entry from Nick said: “If you manage to work out how to travel to us, don’t bother, as we’ll probably probe you, try to blow you up or worse still, steal your technology and invade… Have a nice day.”

Personally I would say: “Anyone related to the tribal terrestrials in Avatar would be better to come down to earth by watching The Hurt Locker.”

However, if you have a better message please post it here and if Karen is reading this - let us know how you get on.

* The 50 winners of the competition will be announced on Friday, at an event for National Science and Engineering Week at 'The Big Bang’, Manchester Central Conference Centre.

* 'The Eerie Silence’ by Paul Davies (Allen Lane) is available from Telegraph Books for £18 plus £1.25 p&p. To order, call 0844 871 1515 or visit books.telegraph.co.uk