Rockport, Texas - Science writer Crystal Renee told me she is nearing completion of a new book in which she claims NASA has spent years monitoring radio signals originating from inside the earth.

She spoke with me via telephone from her home in Houston, Texas, and told me, “Someone or something has been communicating with us for a very long time, and whoever it is has the technology to send signals through hundreds of miles of soil and rock to the surface of our planet.”

Renee’s story starts in 2001, when she was interviewing an unnamed NASA official for a magazine article.

“The subject of the interview was new developments in sophisticated satellite technology. Out of the blue, he casually mentioned how space satellites were also being used to monitor radio transmissions coming from deep within the earth’s core,” she said.

Renee says the spokesman revealed the space agency had been tracking the unexplained transmissions, sent in the form of a complex mathematical code, and coming from deep within the planet. He also commented that scientists were convinced they were coming from a highly intelligent race of beings.

Although he said NASA has experienced little trouble in decoding the messages, he refused to disclose their contents.

Renee told me, “He indicated the transmissions were possibly of a hostile nature, and the contents could be a source of concern.”

Sparked by the unexpected revelations, Renee began an investigation into the strange story, and soon found there seemed to be disagreement within NASA over interpretation of the mysterious messages.

During the years she spent uncovering the material in her book, Renee says experts were in conflict over whether to announce their discovery, afraid information about the messages could unnecessarily alarm the public.

Over time, Renee gained the trust of an employee within NASA who was willing to share small amounts of information as the project progressed. In violation of NASA policy, the employee was willing to talk about the project, but insisted Renee didn’t press for details on technology being used.

She learned there was a great deal of frustration within the agency over being unable to determine the exact location where the subterranean civilization transmissions originated, and that NASA surprisingly lacked the technology to respond to the messages.

“Whoever they are, it’s obvious they know far more about us than we know about them. They are able to communicate with us on a regular basis, but we have little understanding of how to communicate with them in return. And their messages indicate they have a thorough understanding of life on the earth’s surface, while we have no idea how intelligent life could form - and survive - without sunlight or oxygen,” said Renee.

Renee says scientists involved with receiving and deciphering these messages have called it the most important discovery of the century.

She told me, “We have long thought that space was the final frontier, but now we realize that inside our own planet lies uncharted territory that may prove far more important to our future.”

Science writer Crystal Renee’s book, Messages From the Center of the Earth, is scheduled to be on bookstore shelves August 2.  - Dean Terry