Travelling Via Radio Waves

Aliens established themselves on earth quite some time ago. Some of "us" are aliens--from where, how we got here, and what our plans are--is none of your business (for now). But when "scientists at Harvard speculate" about aliens, they are really just leaking closely held insider information. Fortunately most earthlings (or 'dirt things" as we call you) consider these leaks too far fetched to believe -- which is fine. Just keep believing that and all will be well with you (for now).

Benevolent Overlords

Quoting Bitter Crank

or 'dirt things" as we call you

(Y)

I have an idea for a sci-fi story along these lines, but I've never gotten around to writing it, because I don't think it will be read.

I like the names 'Loeb' and 'Lingam' (although I think the first is misspelt; it should be 'Low Ebb'). I think they themselves must be aliens, most likely electronic porn stars or gigolos who entertain radio travelers on those very long, but timeless, intergalactic journeys.

"This is just between you and me, but when I was fourteen, I saw a UFO.
That UFO telepathically told me this prophecy: "When you grow up, you will direct an anime about girls revolutionizing various things."
Surely you jest.
"You must not tell anyone about me. If you ever do..."
Wh-What will happen to me?
"People will call you a sketchy guy."" - Kunihiko Ikuhara

The idea that I have had, was for a sci-fi story based on an event which pulverises a good deal of the earth's radiotelescopes, and a very large number of its microprocessors, thereby stopping hundreds of millions of cars and computers. This event was associated with a very powerful supernovae but unfortunately there was very little information retained about it, due to the fact that most of the instruments that retain such information were fried by the event they were supposed to be recording. The story involves a science journo travelling around post-apocalyptic Europe trying to work out what happened. (The first section is called WTF). I don't want to give too much away, I should actually sit down and start writing it.

Ah, the EMP scenario. Quite popular as a apocalypse inducing event.

One Second After is a 2009 fiction novel by American writer William R. Forstchen. The novel deals with an unexpected electromagnetic pulse attack on the United States as it affects the people living in and around the small American town of Black Mountain, North Carolina. Wikipedia

The sequel is One Year After, and the second sequel is The Final Day.

EMPs are a good plot device because, as you note, they would obscure the evidence of what happened.

I haven't read these yet. EMPs open the door to some fairly spooky plot possibilities, whether it be human- or alien-produced.

Reply to Bitter Crank Hey thanks for the tip BC! I will definitely get hold of them.

Reply to Wosret Dude, that was so me screwing with you not some actual UFO.

Reply to Wayfarer When you said ''travelling via radio waves'' I thought aliens were encoding their consciousness in electromanetic waves and travelling as radiowaves.:D

Reply to Hanover

That wasn't me, that was Ikuhara bombing interviews with glorious nonsense whenever he's asked what the symbolism in his work means.

Reply to TheMadFool That thought sprang to mind. I bet how that is how they'll do it. There's no way they'll send actual stuff.

Reply to TheMadFool Call it encoding your consciousness if you like, but I don't think any physical object can surf on radio waves, so you'd have to really release your soul to surf those waves. Surfing radio waves, that sounds like real freedom. Radio waves are low frequency, long wave length, providing the best opportunity to catch a big wave. But they have very little forward power overall because of the low frequency. So to get any real surfing power it would require a massive quantity of polarized waves, coherent, and in phase.