If the alien civilization is no more advanced than we are, then it probably cannot send us a message that would have a drastic effect on us.
But if the aliens can create powerful AI, they can just send that.
Specifically, the alien message might start with the first 50 primes, followed by a computer program that finds prime numbers—written in some simple programming language. That is followed by a few more simple programs in the same programming language. Then comes the powerful AI (as a computer program in the same simple programming language). There are 100s of 1000s of people with the skills to use the examples in the first part of the message to get the AI in the second part of the message running on a computer here on Earth. 12 hours after such an alien message is published worldwide here on Earth, I expect that dozens of people would have the powerful AI running at good efficiency on their PCs. Obviously, I would prefer for SETI to retract their policy of publishing any alien message they might receive.
One simple program that is particularly illuminating for specifying a programming language is a simple interpreter for the same language: educational materials often call such a metacircular evaluator. Here is one example, but there are many. That example of course contains a lot of English prose intended to help the student understand the code. But there are 100s of 1000s of people who don’t need the English prose: the code is probably all information they would need to get any program written in the same programming language running at good efficiency on their PC. The only reason I need the qualifier “probably” in the previous sentence is that there is a chance that a single program won’t be enough: one or 2 more simple “sample” programs, e.g., for generating the Fibonacci sequence, might be required.
Keep in mind that the aliens are trying to make it as easy as possible for as many recipients as possible to run their code performantly.
Can the humans with the most skill in computing performantly run a complex computer program if all the information they have to go on is a few simple “sample programs” written in the same never-seen-before-by-humans programming language? -- that is the central issue. The answer is, yes, they can. Many of them can. And some of those many will be reckless enough to run the alien AI.
Any pointers on how it would even be possible for an alien civilisation to transmit complex instructions that could be deciphered?
Given a radio signal, I see how you could determine that it’s not natural, and then what?
If the alien civilization is no more advanced than we are, then it probably cannot send us a message that would have a drastic effect on us.
But if the aliens can create powerful AI, they can just send that.
Specifically, the alien message might start with the first 50 primes, followed by a computer program that finds prime numbers—written in some simple programming language. That is followed by a few more simple programs in the same programming language. Then comes the powerful AI (as a computer program in the same simple programming language). There are 100s of 1000s of people with the skills to use the examples in the first part of the message to get the AI in the second part of the message running on a computer here on Earth. 12 hours after such an alien message is published worldwide here on Earth, I expect that dozens of people would have the powerful AI running at good efficiency on their PCs. Obviously, I would prefer for SETI to retract their policy of publishing any alien message they might receive.
One simple program that is particularly illuminating for specifying a programming language is a simple interpreter for the same language: educational materials often call such a metacircular evaluator. Here is one example, but there are many. That example of course contains a lot of English prose intended to help the student understand the code. But there are 100s of 1000s of people who don’t need the English prose: the code is probably all information they would need to get any program written in the same programming language running at good efficiency on their PC. The only reason I need the qualifier “probably” in the previous sentence is that there is a chance that a single program won’t be enough: one or 2 more simple “sample” programs, e.g., for generating the Fibonacci sequence, might be required.
Keep in mind that the aliens are trying to make it as easy as possible for as many recipients as possible to run their code performantly.
Can the humans with the most skill in computing performantly run a complex computer program if all the information they have to go on is a few simple “sample programs” written in the same never-seen-before-by-humans programming language? -- that is the central issue. The answer is, yes, they can. Many of them can. And some of those many will be reckless enough to run the alien AI.