About This Lesson
How did we ever figure out how to read Egyptian hieroglyphs, given that the ancient Egyptian language didn’t survive? A French linguist named Jean‑François Champollion solved the riddle in the nineteenth century. Today, scientists are searching for signals from extraterrestrial civilizations. If they ever find anything, they will need to know how to decipher it, and formulate a reply. Could Champollion’s accomplishment help?
