SECTION 01
Decode the record
This is the useful version of Signal 1: if you were the alien, this is the part that tells you what the object is, how to read it, and why the rest matters.
1. This is an intentional object
The cover is not decoration — it is a diagram meant to be understood by an unknown intelligence.
2. The disc can be played
The etched symbols explain playback method and timing, basically saying: this thing contains recoverable information.
3. Here is where we live
The pulsar map and Solar System reference act like a cosmic return address for Earth.
4. The rest is the message
Once the object is decoded, the images, sounds, and music become humanity's self-portrait.