For the first time ever, NASA will beam a song -- The Beatles' "Across the Universe" -- directly into deep space at 7 p.m. EST on Feb. 4.

The transmission over NASA's Deep Space Network will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the day The Beatles recorded Across the Universe, as well as the 50th anniversary of NASA's founding and the group's beginnings. Two other anniversaries also are being honored: the launch 50 years ago this week of Explorer 1, the first U.S. satellite, and the founding 45 years ago of the Deep Space Network, an international network of antennas that supports missions to explore the universe.

Feb. 4 has been declared "Across The Universe Day" by Beatles fans to commemorate the anniversaries. As part of the celebration, the public around the world has been invited to participate in the event by simultaneously playing the song at the same time it is transmitted by NASA.

I dunno; silly publicity stunt or kinda cool? I'm not sure. It's a success if it gets a new generation talking about science.

In related news, NASA has determined that 12 percent of its engineers and 21 percent of its scientists are now eligible to retire, and estimates that in 2011, 28 percent of its engineers and 45 percent of its scientists will be eligible to retire.