Mixed Signals: Alien Communication Across the Iron Curtain

by Rebecca Charbonneau

In the shadow of the Cold War, whispers from the cosmos fueled an unlikely alliance between the US and USSR. The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (or SETI) emerged as a foundational field of radio astronomy characterized by an unusual level of international collaboration—but SETI’s use of signals intelligence technology also served military and governmental purposes.

In this captivating new history of the collaboration between American and Soviet radio astronomers as they sought to detect evidence of extraterrestrial civilizations, historian Rebecca Charbonneau reveals the triumphs and challenges they faced amidst a hostile political atmosphere. Shedding light on the untold stories from the Soviet side for the first time, she expertly unravels the complex web of military and political interests entangling radio astronomy and the search for alien intelligence, offering a thought-provoking perspective on the evolving relationship between science and power.

This is not just a story of radio waves and telescopes; it's a revelation of how scientists on both sides of the Iron Curtain navigated the complexities of the Cold War, blurring the lines between espionage and the quest for cosmic community. Filled with tension, contradiction, and the enduring human desire for connection, this is a history that transcends national boundaries and reaches out to the cosmic unknown, ultimately how can we communicate with extraterrestrials when we struggle to communicate amongst ourselves?

Genres: History, Science

256 pages, Hardcover

Published December 31, 2024

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled on this book while browsing the new science releases in my local Barnes & Noble. I was worried that the writing would be too dry and academically oriented, but I ended up really enjoying the book. I’ve read several other books about C/SETI, but this book presented some new stories that I wasn’t familiar with and it presented C/SETI from the perspective of the Cold War. There were aspects of the Soviet CETI program that I wasn’t familiar with, and it was interesting to hear stories of scientists from the two countries trying to collaborate during that time.

If you’re interested in C/SETI or the politics of the Cold War, I highly recommend this book. The writing is engaging, and I found it to be a quick and entertaining read.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cutting-edge research that obliterates a lot of inaccurate pop culture about SETI and its Soviet counterpart CETI. If you want to know what those programs were really about, based on real primary sources, this is the book to read.

[Sharad Pandian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Expansive and delightful.

[Ariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Mark Filipovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

genitive, historiography, constellation, cosmism, emblematic, abject, hungry, militarization, cetacean, shared

[Timoer Frelink · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what it promises to be: I gave up after 80 pages. Difficult to read and not enough on cooperation/competition across the iron curtain.