April 11, 1961

Mr. J. P. 7. Pearman

Space Sclance Board

National Academy of Sciences
2101 Constitution Avenue
Washington 25, 0.C.

Dear Peter:

Hike Villard has passed on his correspondence relative to extraterres<
triel inteiligent life. 1 om glad to see this coming along and am in full
accord with the substance of Drake's letter of March 153. | would also be
delighted to receive an Invitation myself.

Mike indicated a desire for suggestions on people and topics. The sreas
that ought to be well covered are

(1) The natural radio nolse background, and detectivity of artificial
signals against this.

(2) Stogularities In the choice of communication frequencies.
(3) The optimimun form of messages.

(4) Whet would we send? At what stage of technological development
would wa make our ow efforts with this Intention?

in addition te the best talent in radio astronomy, we should also try to
see what we can do in radio communication theory, logical linguistics, biology,
and game theory. The last may seem odd but Schilling (cf. The Streteay of
fanfilct) hes same telling comments on problems of hindered communication.
Freudenthal of Utrecht (recently visiting Professor of Mathematics et Yele)

hes written @ provocative monograph (Lingos - f janaueae for Commie Commun!
cation, N. Holland Press) that suggests would a wort @ contributor.
Several of the contributors to Don Menzel's (Ed.) book should have relevant
material. And obviously it might be politic end worthwhile to lnvite Lloyd

Berkner and Jereme Wiesner. Harold Urey would certalnly be an asset.

Among biologists, | don't know who would be especially Interested -
perhaps Aaron Novick; S. —. Luria; K. C. Atwood (Microbiology, U. of
tVlineis) have e very wide fund of knowledge and would follow the jargon.

Whet might come out of the session? Perhaps a better sense of the
value of this line of research, and of the confidence of one's col leagues
In its serious purpose. Obviously, very little will be settled by It. But
it should provoke some new looks at the questions.
Mr. Pearman, cont. 2 Aprfl 11, 1961

| would suggest that there be only three or four formal papers - if
possible these might be circulated In advance and the bulk of the session be
given over to Informal criticism, etc. Perhaps all the perticipants might
be asked to contribute In advance one or two pages of thelr ow preoccupations.

Yours sincerely,

Joshua Lederberg
Professor of Genetics

Jt/jh
ec: Dr. 0. G. Villerd, Jr.
Mr. F. G. Brake