By the early 21st century, scientists from all over earth had begun to focus their attention outwards, listening for random and not so random radio signals coming from the stars. One such signal was called 793-6309. At first it seemed only a little unusual, showing oddly repeating spectrum signatures, but when analysed further, it quickly began to form into something much more interesting.

Signal 793-6309 was a complex pattern of sophisticated encoded instructions similar in many ways to brainwave patterns. A previously unknown genius, one Doctor Gerhardt of Drexel University who had specialised in research into the effects of meditation on the human mind, devised a series of increasingly difficult exercises intended to stimulate brains into producing as similar a pattern as possible, which were widely publicised.

Before too long, people who practised these meditation techniques began to experience strange feelings, especially around household pets or other animals. They reported seeing a glimmer of intelligence, more so than usual, in the eyes of cats and dogs, even goldfish. They started to treat their animals better than before, and were quickly repulsed by meat.

These effects were widely publicised and even celebrated, and the meditations became hugely popular, with cults being started to focus and intensify their power. Government mandated educational courses in their use spread swiftly, and before too long it was unusual to meet anyone who wasn't a "signaller". Animal farming and slaughter ground to a halt and animal shelters stood empty.

But it didn't stop there - the longer these mental techniques were applied, the stranger peoples' behaviour became. Soon even eating plants was declared too painful to countenance by whole swathes of society, and widespread suicides were reported after accidental killing of animals. Self-imposed starvation became a regular occurrence for those who couldn't find non organic nutrients, such as they were.

Even the governments of the world were powerless to stop the increasing death toll, as most of their own members were also signallers. The global population plummeted, and those who realised what was happening found that the effect on their minds was irreversible. Rumours persist of a few holdouts and resistant factions in fortified secret compounds, but the cities for the most part stand empty now, overgrown and reclaimed by nature.

At last, humanity had discovered the reason why it had never encountered intelligent alien life - a permanent superpowered broadcast set up by peaceful alien monks hundreds of millions of years ago, intending to spread love and happiness throughout the galaxy.