Voyager and Bach

A little anecdote; forty odd years ago now the "Voyager" probe was sent out to travel eternally into space. It would and has passed beyond our solar system. We no longer recieve anything from it but it continues in its long "star trek"

A panel of experts realized that, on its lengthy travels, it may be found by alien civilizations and so it contained "The Golden record".

Consulting with renowned physicists, writers and "minds" of all sorts the job was given to Carl Sagen to compile it. It contained loads of stuff.

The story goes that Gregory Benford, Hard scfi writer and NASA astrophysicist, said to Carl upon it's launch. We really should have included some "Bach" to which Carl replied. "we do not want to show off".

I always liked that short tale.