WATCH: NASA Is Sending a Time Capsule Into Space With an Inspiring Message to Future Humans
Some time in the distant future, humanity might be a multi-planet colony with an advanced galactic fleet. And when that day comes, perhaps they’ll come across the nostalgic time capsule NASA is planning to fly to Jupiter. In that time capsule, the best of human musicians will be immortalized among the Trojan asteroids near Jupiter--The Beatles.
In just a few month's time, NASA’s Lucy spacecraft will be flying across the galaxy towards the Trojan asteroids with a time capsule plaque inscribed with the very best quotes from humanity. Lucy will be tasked with visiting the asteroids, and once done, the spacecraft will continue to travel between the Trojan asteroids and the orbit of the Earth for as long as it’s able. That could be hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of years, said NASA.
Its long span will make Lucy’s time capsule all the more important. From all of The Beatles to Albert Einstein, this plaque will act as a relic to future humans.
NASA intends for this plaque to be found, one day, by future astronauts and space explorers when we’ve mastered the science of space travel, but of course, there’s still the chance that extraterrestrial beings might come upon this curious plaque. In the off chance they do decipher our human language, hopefully we make good impression with these wise words.
Here are some of the quotes being sent with Lucy into the vast universe.
“When you’ve seen beyond yourself then you may find peace of mind is waiting there.”
- George Harrison
“And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.”
- John Lennon
“We all shine on . . . like the moon and the stars and the sun.”
- Paul McCartney
“Peace and Love.”
- Ringo Starr
“We are not makers of history. We are made by history.”
- Martin Luther King Jr.
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery each day. Never lose a holy curiosity. Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value. He is considered successful in our day who gets more out of life than he puts in. But a man of value will give more than he receives.”
- Albert Einstein
To know more about Lucy, watch this NASA video:
Fun fact: Lucy was actually named after one of the oldest human fossils ever discovered, and the name was chosen as a reminder of humanity’s humble beginnings. But she was also named after the famous Beatles song “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.”
As Ringo said to NASA, "Lucy is going back in the sky with diamonds."
