The researchers believe that bees can be used to test possible ways of communicating with extraterrestrials. They live on the same planet as us, but our evolutionary lines diverged hundreds of millions of years ago. Despite this, bees are “good” at math.
A common language with aliens
Scientists recently published a paper claiming that there are animals on Earth that can help us communicate with aliens. And they even know the best way to do it. This work is extremely important, considering that there are 400 billion stars in the galaxy and the closest one is only 4.4 light-years away from us.
Of course, we don’t really know how widespread extraterrestrial life might be. Moreover, we don’t know whether this life would be even remotely similar to ours. But we can be sure of one thing: if it exists, sooner or later we will have to find a common language with intelligent representatives of other species.
But how can this be done if your partner has evolved in completely different conditions and their entire symbolic system is fundamentally different? The authors of a new study argue that it is possible: mathematics is common to us all, and it is precisely this that can help establish contact.
Bees and mathematics
It should be noted that the idea of using mathematics to communicate with extraterrestrials was proposed several decades ago. It became so widespread in intellectual circles that it entered global culture thanks to Carl Sagan’s novel Contact. Sagan is also the author of the mathematical message aboard the Voyager spacecraft.
But until now, all these claims have remained speculative, because how can we confirm that aliens understand mathematics without ever communicating with any of them? The authors of the study found the answer: bees.
The evolutionary lines of humans and bees diverged 600 million years ago. To a certain extent, they are like aliens to us, even though they live on Earth just like we do. They are capable of fairly complex intellectual activity and collective behavior, but their means of communication and group behavior are completely different from ours.
Do bees understand mathematics? Experiments conducted between 2016 and 2024 show that they do. They even have a slight ability to connect abstract mathematical concepts with symbols drawn by researchers. Their very small brains do not prevent them from doing so. Therefore, according to scientists, it will be even easier to establish dialogue with a developed alien being.
According to phys.org
