Contact Monologues

Dr. Ellie Arroway, after years of searching, finds conclusive radio proof of extraterrestrial intelligence, sending plans for a mysterious machine.

I'll tell you one thing about the universe, though. The universe is a pretty big place. It's bigger than anything anyone has ever dreamed of before. So if it's just us... seems like an awful waste of space. Right?

Is it possible that it didn't happen? Yes. As a scientist, I must concede that, I must volunteer that.

Because I can't. I... had an experience... I can't prove it, I can't even explain it, but everything that I know as a human being, everything that I am tells me that it was real! I was given something wonderful, something that changed me forever... A vision... of the universe, that tells us, undeniably, how tiny, and insignificant and how... rare, and precious we all are! A vision that tells us that we belong to something that is greater then ourselves, that we are *not*, that none of us are alone! I wish... I... could share that... I wish, that everyone, if only for one... moment, could feel... that awe, and humility, and hope. But... That continues to be my wish.

Mathematics is the only true universal language.

For as long as I can remember, I've been searching for something, some reason why we're here. What are we doing here? Who are we? If this is a chance to find out even just a little part of that answer... I don't know, I think it's worth a human life. Don't you?

Science fiction. Well you're right, it's crazy. In fact, it's even worse than that, nuts.

You wanna hear something really nutty? I heard of a couple guys who wanna build something called an "airplane," you know you get people to go in, and fly around like birds, it's ridiculous, right? And what about breaking the sound barrier, or rockets to the moon, or atomic energy, or a mission to Mars? Science fiction, right? Look, all I'm asking, is for you to just have the tiniest bit of vision. You know, to just sit back for one minute and look at the big picture. To take a chance on something that just might end up being the most profoundly impactful moment for humanity, for the history… of history.

This isn't a person-to-person call. You can't possibly think that a civilization sending this kind of message would intend it just for Americans.

You want to classify prime numbers now?

Well, I suppose it would be, how did you do it? How did you evolve, how did you survive this technological adolescence without destroying yourself?

You know, there are four hundred billion stars out there, just in our galaxy alone. If only one out of a million of those had planets, and just of out of a million of those had life, and just one out of a million of those had intelligent life; there would be literally millions of civilizations out there.

Some... celestial event... no... no words, no words...to describe it. Poetry! They should've sent a poet. So beautiful... beautiful... so beautiful, so beautiful. I had no idea.

Those are primes! 2,3,5,7, those are all prime numbers and there's no way that's a natural phenomenon!

So what's more likely? That an all-powerful, mysterious God created the Universe, and decided not to give any proof of his existence? Or, that He simply doesn't exist at all, and that we created Him, so that we wouldn't have to feel so small and alone?

I read your book.

You want me to quote you? "Ironically, the thing people are most hungry for - meaning - is the one thing science hasn't been able to give them."

Come on! It's like you're saying that science killed God. What if science simply revealed that He never existed in the first place?

I've been to Sunday school a few times.

I kept asking all these really annoying questions like "Where did Mrs. Cain come from?" And pretty soon they asked my dad if he wouldn't mind keeping me home from now on.

What I meant to say is that the message was written in the language of science. Now if it had been religious in nature it should have taken form of a burning bush or a big booming voice from the sky.