As if to further reinforce the stupidity of the recently launched Lone Signal project, this mind-boggingly absurd GIF was just sent on a 17.6 light-year journey to Gliese 526 in hopes that it'll get picked up by an extraterrestrial civilization. Yes, really — this is how we're going to say "hello."
This GIF, along with a batch of other messages, were beamed towards Gliese 526 this past Monday via the Jamesburg Earth Station radio dish in Carmel, California, during the Lone Signal inauguration ceremony. It was chosen by Germany-based conceptual artist Kim Asendorf, who has claimed that "Choosing the most beautiful gif would be so boring. Ridiculously boring!"
Right, because this one is ridiculously exciting! Because we're supposed to believe that there's something profound about a man picking his ear while gazing at a digital art display. The aliens will think we're deep. SO DEEP.
Either that or they'll figure we should be destroyed immediately for such a stunning display of poor taste.
Thank you, Lone Signal, for confirming what we already know: The project to send messages to aliens as is useless as it is potentially reckless.