Except that the picture looks like part of the Very Large Array (http://www.vla.nrao.edu/) which, despite being featured in the movie Contact, is not used for SETI.
I use one to hold music while playing the trombone while cycling on rollers. Page turns can be a bit tricky. Using a mute reduces neighbor complaints, but the playing cards in the spokes (percussion effect of course) make the cats irritable. Sorry, gotta go - medication time.
I suppose "tattoo-like" is one way to look at it, but I would have gone with "scrimshaw-like" or "woodcut-like" (but that's probably just showing my age).
That's definitely a typo. Later it says "tens of millennia".
This gun reminds me of the SNL skits with Dan Aykroyd about Mainway Toys Bag O'Glass, etc.