A global message for the cosmos
What would you tell a universe that has no language barrier or borders? The HUMANS project, led by MIT in collaboration with the art and nanotechnology community, is collecting answers from people in more than 80 countries and in over 65 languages. In Sydney, Year 6 student Saanvi Singh and her classmate Rishabh Dilip Nair joined thousands of others who are helping shape a message about life on Earth that could travel far beyond our solar system. Saanvi speaks of humanity’s journey from a single cell to a species capable of harnessing Earth’s resources—and perhaps one day venturing into space. Rishabh says we are social, emotional beings who share laughter and love. These intimate snapshots are part of a larger mosaic of voices that the project will distill into a deep-space broadcast slated for 2027.
From Voyager to HUMANS: a long arc of space storytelling
The timing matters. HUMANS marks the 50th anniversary of the Voyager mission, which launched in 1977 carrying the Golden Record—an archive of sounds and images meant to speak for Earth to any extraterrestrial listeners. Dr Maya Nasr, a science engineer at Harvard and the Environmental Defense Fund, notes that while Voyager offered a broad, external portrait of humanity, HUMANS aims to be more introspective: a transparent, global chorus about who we are, what we value, and how we relate to one another.
A new era of messaging: nanotech on an eight-inch wafer
The technical core of HUMANS is as much an innovation as its voices. Instead of a simple audio disc, the project will etch audio waveforms into spirals on an eight-inch wafer using nanotechnology. This modern approach preserves the messages in a physical form that can endure and be studied long after launch. Dr Nasr emphasizes that HUMANS is both a continuation of Voyager’s spirit and a leap forward in how we encode human experience for space delivery. The target launch year is 2027, with the project already recording thousands of voices before then.
Australia’s role and local participation
In Australia, thousands of participants are being invited to record their reflections at audio booths hosted by the Powerhouse museum. Powerhouse CEO Lisa Havilah notes the significance of connecting Sydney’s audiences with a global dialogue about space, science, and history. The HUMANS wafer will also feature as part of Powerhouse Parramatta’s inaugural space exhibition, opening late next year, linking local curiosity with international space exploration narratives. Earlier iterations of the project have already tested the concept—sending a replica message to the ISS and partnering on the IM-2 lunar mission. The IM-2 mission’s Moon landing, though momentarily challenged by a toppled landing, underscored the ongoing experimentation that accompanies space outreach projects.
What this project says about humanity—and where it might lead
HUMANS invites us to reflect on how a species that creates, communicates and collaborates can become a persistent signature in the cosmos. By gathering genuine stories from diverse cultures and weaving them into a single, spacefaring artifact, the project strives to tell a more unified story than any single country could. It also demonstrates a broader shift in space outreach—from distant tapes to active public participation and hands-on science literacy. As researchers, educators and citizens contribute, the eight-inch wafer becomes not just a message to extraterrestrials, but a mirror for Earthbound audiences to consider what we value as a species and how we choose to share that value with future generations.
Looking ahead: participation and discovery
As the public continues to contribute, HUMANS will expand its archive of voices and perspectives, turning a planetary chorus into a spaceborne time capsule. For families and students, the project is a rare opportunity to engage with science, art and the future of space exploration in a tangible, collaborative way. With 2027 on the horizon, the world is listening—and contributing—to a message that aims to echo across the universe, while also reflecting the countless stories unfolding every day on Earth.
