Reaching for the Stars: The Great Human Odyssey

Decoding the Universe: A Conversation with Dr. Jonathan H. Jiang on Earth, Space, and the Arecibo Message

Reaching for the Stars: The Great Human Odyssey

If there's one thing that unites us all, it's the question of survival. Not just the next 50, 100, or even 500 years—but millions of years into the future. And if we manage to achieve that, we won’t just be talking about making it—we’ll be traveling to the stars, exchanging messages across the universe, and truly evolving as a species.

I had the privilege of sitting down with Jonathan Jiang, a brilliant mind from Caltech, though he was speaking solely in his personal capacity. As we delved into his journey, his inspirations, and the mysteries of the universe, one thing became abundantly clear—science isn’t just about discovery. It’s about survival.

A Childhood Spark

Jonathan’s journey into science wasn’t a calculated move; it was a spark ignited in his childhood. Born in Beijing in the 1970s, he grew up in an isolated China, but one thing broke through the silence—Voice of America. The crackling sound of the homemade radio his father built introduced him to a world beyond borders.

And then, one day, he heard about Voyager. Launched in 1977 by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), it wasn’t just a spacecraft; it was a message to the cosmos, a testament to human curiosity. That was the hook. That was the moment a young Jonathan knew—science wasn’t just about learning; it was about reaching beyond.

NASA: More Than Rockets

For most of us, NASA is synonymous with space, astronauts, and Mars rovers. But Jonathan broke it down simply—NASA is humanity’s beacon beyond Earth. It’s about finding life, understanding the cosmos, and seeking new knowledge to propel us forward.

From telescopes peering into deep space to Mars rovers sending back snapshots of alien landscapes, NASA is in a relentless pursuit of understanding. But space exploration isn’t just about curiosity—it’s about survival. And that brings us to a chilling paradox.

The Great Filter: Can Humanity Survive Itself?

Fermi’s Paradox presents a mind-bending contradiction: the universe is filled with billions of stars, yet no one has visited us. Why? Two possibilities:

1. We are truly alone—an eerie but somewhat hopeful notion that the universe is ours to explore.

2. There's a Great Filter, a barrier civilizations fail to overcome before reaching the stars.

Nuclear war, climate change, AI, political conflict—these are all potential Great Filters. And if history is any indicator, humans have a habit of behaving like children—fighting over imaginary lines, spending trillions on weapons while ignoring existential threats.

A Message in a Bottle to the Cosmos

Jonathan and his team at JPL are working on an updated version of the Golden Record, the iconic message aboard Voyager. The new Beacon in the Galaxy project aims to send a mathematical introduction of humanity—our knowledge, our DNA, and our place in the universe—to any civilization that might be listening.

Some argue it’s a bad idea. What if an advanced civilization discovers us and sees us as nothing more than an anthill ready to be squashed? But Jonathan challenges that notion. Any civilization advanced enough to receive and decode our message would have survived its own Great Filter. They would be beyond war, beyond childish destruction. And if they reply, it would mean one thing—we have a chance.

Beyond Earth: The Need for Expansion

The Earth is our home, but it’s also a ticking clock. Every species that has remained bound to one planet has perished. If we stay put, we’ll share the same fate.

Jonathan envisions a future where we establish bases on the Moon, then Mars, and beyond. Farming in space, self-sustaining colonies, interstellar travel—it’s not just science fiction, it’s necessity. Our ancestors didn’t stay in one place; they crossed oceans, adapted, and thrived. Our next ocean is the void, and we must be ready to sail it.

The Acceleration of Knowledge

Looking at human history, one pattern emerges—acceleration. It took millions of years for early humans to develop tools, thousands for written language, hundreds for scientific thought, decades for computers, and now, breakthroughs happen every year.

This rapid progress means one of two things: either we’re on the verge of an unprecedented golden age, or we’re accelerating toward a collapse. The tipping point is near, and the direction we take will determine our fate.

The Final Question: Doubt as the Gateway to Wisdom

Aristotle once said, “Doubt is the beginning of wisdom.” When asked about his greatest doubt, Jonathan didn’t hesitate. He doubts whether we will survive. He doubts whether humanity can overcome its destructive tendencies and break free from its self-imposed shackles. But doubt, he believes, isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a call to action.

We don’t know if we can make it. But we must try. Because if we do, the universe isn’t just something to marvel at—it’s our future.

As I handed Jonathan a bottle of Touriga Nacional, a deep, resilient Portuguese wine, it felt poetic. Some vines thrive in extreme conditions, surviving against all odds. Maybe, just maybe, humanity can do the same.

The stars are waiting. The question is—will we get there?