Message in a Bottle—An Update to the Golden Record: 1. Objectives and Key Content of the Message.

In the first part of this series, we delve into the foundational aspects of "Message in a Bottle (MIAB)" (henceforth referred to as MIAB). This study builds upon the legacy of the Voyager Golden Records, launched aboard Voyager 1 and 2 in 1977, which aimed to communicate with intelligent species beyond our world. These records not only offer a snapshot of Earth and human civilization but also represent our desire to establish contact with advanced alien civilizations. Given the absence of mutually understood signs, symbols, and semiotic conventions, MIAB, like its predecessor, uses scientific methods to design an innovative means of communication that encapsulates the story of humanity. Our goal is to share our collective knowledge, emotions, innovations, and aspirations in a way that provides a universal, yet contextually relevant, understanding of human society, the evolution of life on Earth, and our hopes and concerns for the future. Through this time and space traveling capsule, we also strive to inspire and unify current and future generations to celebrate and safeguard our shared human experience. Plain Language Summary: This article is the first in a series about "Message in a Bottle" (or MIAB for short) in a cosmic ocean. One may envision MIAB as an initiative towards the creation of a modern version of the special records sent into space in 1977 on the Voyager spacecrafts. Those records were like a hello from Earth, hoping to reach any smart beings out there in the universe. Since we are presently unaware of how these beings might communicate or what symbols they would possibly understand, we need to get creative in how we share our story. MIAB is our way of showing who we are, what we've learned, how we feel, and what we dream of for the future. It's not just for beings in space; we hope it helps people now and in the future come together and value our shared journey on Earth. Key Points: We're crafting a message for a future space mission, hoping to reach and chat with smart life forms beyond EarthThe message gives a broad but detailed view of today's human society, our planet's life story, and the big challenges aheadThis project is a brave step in showcasing the full richness and depth of human life and experience [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]