Each Voyager Spacecraft Carries a "Postcard" Designed to Be Understandable

question 76

Multiple Choice

Each Voyager spacecraft carries a "postcard" designed to be understandable to any aliens that might someday encounter it. On the "postcard," scientists pinpointed the location of Earth by triangulating it between pulsars. Why did the scientists choose pulsars rather than some other type of star?

• A)Pulsars are very bright and therefore easy to find.
• B)We're pretty sure that aliens will have only radio telescopes and not optical telescopes, so they'll have a better chance of seeing pulsars than ordinary stars.
• C)Several pulsars are located within a dozen light- years of our solar system, making them useful for finding our solar system.
• D)Pulsars are easy to identify by their almost perfectly steady periods of pulsation.

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Definitions:

Social Identity

The portion of an individual's self-concept derived from perceived membership in a relevant social group.

Collective Efficacy

The shared belief in the ability of a group to achieve common objectives and influence outcomes in their community.

Success

Refers to the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.

Equifinality

A principle that a given end state can be reached by many potential means or from different starting points in complex systems.